Abundant Relations
by Tempesty
Summary: Young, adventurous May moves to the tropical region of Hoenn and takes on the Gym challenge, but is no sooner thrown into the heart of the conflict of two criminal organizations - Aqua and Magma. Facing trouble both at home and on the go, May finds an unexpected ally in Devon's Steven Stone; Archie plots to reawaken an ancient, destructive power. RSE adaption with a few twists.
1. Littleroot

**A/N: (Updated/Rewritten 3/22) **So, a few things to point out before you read... Most importantly, the majority of this fic follows **R/S/E **and not **OR/AS**, though I do include a lot of references to them later (this is because I started writing a good portion around November of 2013 before the remakes were even announced orz).

Two, this is an adaptation/slight AU so there are some changes. I've tried to flesh out Team Aqua/Magma more as a villain team under the cover of an activist group, and May, Brendan, and Wally are all slightly older (May/Brendan I wrote as late teens-ish, Wally slightly younger), and Hoenn is more like the anime as far as size (larger and takes longer to traverse). Since this follows R/S (not like it makes that big a difference) it was written with the old designs in mind, and characters like Lisia don't show up. If it means anything now, there's implied daiharu, too.

Anyway, Pokemon obviously belongs to Gamefreak/Nintendo/Masuda/Tajiri, etc., not me.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Arrival at Littleroot, "A Town That Can't be Shaded Any Hue!"**

Hoenn. A tropical island, located some great distance south of Johto and Kanto. Despite its recent invasion by tourists, the region retained much of its rich culture and tradition, from exotic cuisines to beautiful natural scenery to a noticeably lazy accent. All kinds of bizarre legends apparently existed there, too, and of course, the Pokemon living in Hoenn were nothing like anything I'd seen before. I had to prepare for the worst. Typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, unbearable heat, sandstorms, falling meteors, you name it – apparently those kinds of things occurred in Hoenn. I sighed – a Pokemon journey would have been much easier in a place like Johto. No jungles, no crazy beaches, no traversing the ocean to get three badges. Was it three? I started counting off on my fingers, despite not being able to see more than a yard ahead of me in the darkness. _Sootopolis, Mossdeep… Mauville… Verdanturf?... Oldale – and Littleroot. _Littleroot was the town I was headed to. My father told me it was a little bit like New Bark Town, but more humid and less developed.

I sighed and leaned my head back against a box. I wanted to be anywhere but here, right now. A mix of nervous tension and excitement was swirling within my chest. Not only was it a new house I was moving to, but there'd be new people, Pokemon, a totally different culture I knew nothing about... And worst of all, I remembered, gritting my teeth, there wasn't a single promise of me being able to get a Pokemon of my own any time soon. _Thanks, Dad... As if I wasn't already unhappy enough home in Johto..._

I had just begun to doze when the large truck started to break, rousing a low squealing from the wheel directly below me. With a yelp, I flew forwards into what felt like the sofa with a crash.

"Urgh…" I groaned, rolling back over onto my knees. The floor of the truck bed was cold, and the air stank of mothballs. "How much longer is this gonna taaaake…?"

After a few more turns, and what felt like the smooth ups and downs of some hills, the vehicle finally came to a complete stop. I smiled in anticipation. _This must be it…!_

The back door was swung open and my hands flew upwards in an attempt to shield my eyes from the sudden light. As soon as they'd adjusted, I jumped out of the truck, stretched, and took in my surroundings.

I was greeted with the sight of rolling plains of a soft green hue, speckled modestly with color here and there. The road, a small, dirt path that hardly stood out within the earthy landscape, weaved freely through the hills; there were more neighborhoods and buildings further down the slope, to the south, bathing in the midday sunlight.

_So, this is Littleroot Town…_ It was quaint, just like my father had described it. And small. Our house – a traditional-style cottage, was tucked in with a group of similar-looking homes. It had a little porch and worn, terracotta roofing of an olive shade. The foundation sat on a grassy knoll, with vibrant, native Hoenn flowers blooming around it. They seemed to be dancing in glee at our arrival. Further back, almost like a boundary around this section of the town, was a thick wall of coniferous trees. A breeze blew by, rustling the tips of the branches and rolling across the fields. _It's warm, _I thought, pulling a few strands of hair behind my ear. And... _pleasant._ I huffed - what a change this was from the salty, cool winds of Olivine City. _Everything _was. The roads, the buildings, the weather. And as much as I hated to admit it, it wasn't even that bad.

"May, we're here, honey!" came a voice off to the left, snapping me out of my daze. I turned to find my mother rushing up to me, overflowing with joy, as usual. She was short, but never lacking in energy. Her face had, in the past few weeks, seemed so worn from the stresses from moving, but now the signs of that were gone. "Oh, it must be tiring riding with our things in the moving truck. I'm sorry! Anyways, isn't Littleroot nice?"

I sighed halfheartedly. "I guess." Despite everything, it didn't seem like there was much going on in the town - a bad thing, if I was going to be cooped up here from now on. _At least in Johto we had the harbor and the farms. And the fishermen, and our neighbors, and my friends..._

She scoffed, playfully replying, "Oh, don't give me that. Your dad picked this place out for us, so be a little grateful, alright? Anyways, let's head inside and see the house."

I lingered outside for a moment more to take in the view and then followed her through the squeaky front door, dragging my feet with each step.

* * *

The house's shanty exterior certainly didn't hide anything from you. On the inside, it was compact and humble - much different from our larger place in Olivine, where buildings were built sturdy to withstand the powerful storms. I glanced around the ground floor; most of our stuff was already unpacked, thanks to my father's Vigoroth which were currently marching around the house with more boxes. They were strange Pokemon – I'd only seen pictures of them before, pictures my father had sent me from the many trips he'd made to Hoenn while trying to become an official Gym Leader. They looked like something straight out of the jungle. Seeing them in a domestic setting like this was… bizarre. One lumbered past me holding an enormous box as if it were nothing. I raised my eyebrows.

"Well, isn't this convenient? Now we don't have to worry about carrying all the furniture!" My mom laughed, pouring herself a glass of water - _the kitchen seems operational, at least,_ I thought skeptically, _but I'm not feeling too great about this heat_. I fanned myself with one hand and wondered absently if the house had air conditioning. _Geez_… _When did I become so fussy?_

My mother spoke up again. "Why don't you head upstairs and check out your room, May?"

Hesitantly, I nodded and hurried up to the second floor. Thankfully, the Vigoroth had already finished unloading boxes on the second floor.

The room itself was simple, rectangular, and, more importantly, cozy. A red rug was tossed across the wood flooring, and next to the room's only window was my bed, already all set up. The blanket wasn't spread out yet, but compared to the cold floor of the truck, it was inviting and I plopped down next to the windowsill. Warm sunlight was pouring in from the window and left a big streak across the mattress and part of my leg. _Most of my stuff looks like it's here,_ I thought as my eyes flicked across the walls – a small television, a Gamecube, a shelf of books including journals, Pokemon guides, games, and novels, my PC, and my bed... That was it. I also noticed a map and a clock, both already posted up on my wall. It was a map of Hoenn. _Of course. Dad must've put it there._

Little sparks of excitement jumped around in my chest as my thoughts turned to the region itself. Hoenn was immense. Bigger, even, than Johto, if you counted the large half of it that was all literally _in _the ocean. It was hard to believe living on the water was even possible – where I came from, you would have been washed away by the rainstorms and choppy, freezing-cold waves within a week. I wondered what kinds of Pokemon lived in warm water, sitting back and resting in the small patch of sunlight. _Corsola? Tentacool?_

"May! May, come down here, quickly!" came my mother's urgent voice through the doorway, and I straightened in alarm before racing back to the bottom of the staircase, nearly slipping over the uneven steps.

"What is it?!" I called, only to find her comfortably settled in a chair at the kitchen table, eyes trained on the television.

"Petalburg's on TV! Maybe they'll show Dad!" she told me in an excited tone, eyes shining. "Oh, where is he, where is he?"

I sighed and sauntered over to the TV, but I was too late; it had cut to commercials. My mother pouted. "Well, he was probably on earlier. He's still a pretty new Gym Leader, so he must be getting a lot of attention. Good for him!" _As always, Mom is his biggest fan._

I played with the ends of my hair absently. "I guess so."

She gazed at me for a minute, trying to figure out what was on my mind to no avail, before grinning. "That's right! Our friend, Professor Birch, lives next door! You remember him, right, sweetie?"

"Um… No," I muttered. All I remembered was him being faintly mentioned in my parents' conversations over the years.

She waved it off and rested her hands on her hips. "Well, either way, you should head over there and say hi to him and his family, honey! I'm sure they'll all be happy to finally meet you formally."

"But… they don't even know who I am," I objected.

"That's the point! Birch has a son around your age, too, so why not buddy up with him?"

There was no arguing with her now, I thought, knowing that behind that cheery smile was the impatience and fury of a thousand Granbulls. I exited the new house and made my way over to the one adjacent to it.

* * *

"H-hello? This is May, daughter of Norman, the Petalburg Gym Leader…? I just moved in next door..." Fumbling over my own words, I lightly knocked on the screen door to the house next door, and, after a few seconds, pulled it open. "I'm coming in."

"Oh, hiya!" came a cheery voice from the kitchen, and a brown-haired woman with two big, friendly chestnut eyes approached me. "Norman's told us all about you! You know, I think my son is home right now – he was excited about making a new friend, so you should go see him!"

I nodded, feeling a little overwhelmed by the woman's hospitality, and headed right for the stairs, noticing in the corner of my eye a toddler in the main room playing with Pokedolls. _So, he's got a little brother?_

Anxiousness welled up in my gut as I made my way up the creaky staircase. After knocking on what I assumed was the door to the younger Birch's room a few times and giving the hallway a nervous glance, I sauntered inside. It was empty, and sort of a mess – what you'd expect a teenager's room to look like. There was some sort of item lying in the middle of the mess that was fairly conspicuous, and I made my way towards it. _Is that… a Pokeball?_

_Slam!_

I spun around, eyes wide.

"Hey, you! Wait, who're you?!" A boy – older than the one downstairs, and around my height, wearing a weird black headband – barged into the room. He had slightly tan skin, a wide jaw, and wide, dark eyes that nearly glowed with suspicion.

"I-uh…" I stuttered, trying to explain myself. "I'm Norman's dau-"

"Oh, you're, ah… Dad's friend's kid, right? Norman's kid. You guys just moved in next door, I think." He made a questionable expression that I definitely wouldn't call 'excited about making a new friend', and ran a hand through his hair – no, now that I had a closer look, it was a hat. Like a sock. The white fabric, wool, maybe extended from the headband he wore; a few thin, unkempt strands of black hair poked out from below the headband, around his face and neck, indicating that the sock was not, in fact, his hair.

I was about to introduce myself – again – when he added, "I didn't know you were a chick. Dad – he's Professor Birch, in case you didn't know – said our new neighbor was the kid of a Gym Leader… so… I sorta thought you'd be a guy! Hahaha!"

His tone was cheery, like his mom's, and he didn't seem to mean any harm, but something about him bothered me nonetheless. Was it the attitude, or the weird-sounding dialect he spoke in? I wasn't sure. Maybe it was everything. I awkwardly laughed along.

"Well, I'm Brendan. Nice ta meet ya, neighbor!" Brendan held out his hand, grinning, and I reluctantly accepted it.

"You, too."

His dark eyes moved downward, and in turn, his eyebrows shot up. "Huh? Don't tell me you don't have a Pokemon yet, May!"

The somewhat good mood I'd been in was immediately crushed. "I… No, not yet, at least. I mean, I've been around plenty of Pokemon, but I haven't actually _had_ one of my own, n-no…" I prayed he wouldn't ask why – I wasn't in the mood for talking about how overprotective Dad was to some kid whose father clearly let him romp freely.

Brendan kept that cheeky smile on his face, saying, "Well, I can catch ya one, if you want!" I was about to turn him down, as politely as I could – Dad would surely have the boy's head on a pike if he found out – when suddenly he exclaimed, "Oh, dang it, hold up, I forgot my dad asked me to go help him catch some wild Pokemon earlier." Before I knew it, he was running out the door and down the stairs. "Some other time, 'kay?"

And then Brendan Birch was gone, leaving me with many unspoken words and a sour taste in my mouth. _It's almost like that guy was _bragging _about being a better trainer than me,_ I thought, that proud grin of his flashing in my mind. _No.. I'm probably just imagining it._

* * *

"H-hey, miss! Miss trainer!" I paused on the pathway back to my house and looked around. "Excuse me!" The source of the voice was a very young girl in a yellow sundress. She was standing near a footpath that I assumed lead out of the town, as there were no more buildings in the distance, waving her arms and shouting. "Hey!"

I jogged over. "Umm… Can I help you?"

She pointed further down the path, face crinkled up in urgency. "There's some scary Pokemon over there! Can't you hear them?"

Sure enough, I could make out three dark, four-legged creatures about fifty yards out, circling around a tree. And the snarls – they were horrible! It was like that of a Growlithe or Arcanine, but much more feral. I shivered and then looked back over to the girl.

"I-I wanna go see what's wrong, but I'm not a trainer and I don't have Pokemon. Could you go check it out for me, miss?" the girl asked, voiced full of worry. I smiled gingerly and decided not to let her know she was mistaken.

"Sure."

However, only a few steps onto the path, I was regretting my decision. Sure, I was older than the little girl and had play-fought with Pokemon before, but I wasn't actually a _trainer_ and I certainly couldn't fight three rabid canine Pokemon on my own. The sun beat down on my head, and the sound of growling picked up. I didn't recognize the Pokemon at all, of course – they must've been native to Hoenn. I had no idea whether they'd run away if I tried to stand my ground, or attack.

"H-hey! H-help meee~!" came a pitiful cry from the tree the Pokemon were posted around. I gulped and searched the landscape, then realized that there was a person – a man around my father's age, I would say, wearing a dirty, white lab coat – clinging to a branch like a frightened Meowth.

"Oh, y-you! Over there! Please, help me out here!" he shouted, glancing down at the hostile Pokemon every few seconds with two big round eyes. "Eek!"

I took a step forward. One of the Pokemon lowered its head at me and growled, shaking with agitation and lashing its tail back and forth. _Yikes! ...__But, I can't just run away... I've gotta help, somehow..._

The man seemed to notice that I didn't have any Pokemon, and hollered, "M-my bag! There's some Pokeballs in there! Hurry!"

Frantically, I looked around. A few feet away, there was a canvas satchel lying in the tall grass – was that it? I slowly moved towards the objects so as to not agitate the Pokemon further, which were watching my every move with hostile, yellow eyes and bared teeth coated in slobber.

Holding my breath, I reached for the bag…

And they dashed forwards. "_'Chyaaa!"_

"Quick! Send one out, hurry!" Squeaked the man, nearly falling from the tree he was straddling.

Panicking, I fumbled around in the bag, all sorts of papers and equipment dropping to the ground, and grabbed one of the three visible Pokeballs. The feeling of the object in the palm of my hand sparked a strange emotion in my chest. _Alright, May, y-you're doing good, now just...!_ Facing the snarling Pokemon, I awkwardly tossed the Pokeball forwards. It clicked open, and bounced to the dirt with a thud. The wild Pokemon paused, momentarily blinded by the Pokeball's light, and then, standing between us was some sort of… chicken.

_I-it doesn't look very strong_! I immediately thought, sweating.

A few seconds passed, feeling like hours. I became aware of the situation I was in. A _real_ Pokemon battle, not one staged by Dad, not one broadcasted on the television... It was happening. A rush of adrenaline hit me so hard I nearly swooned, and, taking in a breath of the hot summer air, I called out, "Attack! Use Scratch!" – assuming the Pokemon even had that ability – the only semi-dangerous part of it seemed to be its talons, two tiny twigs that stuck out from its plump, feathery body.

The Pokemon, much to my surprise, responded, running towards the wolf-Pokemon and raking its claws across its snout. It wasn't over yet, though; suddenly the wild Pokemon's jaws were tightened around the orange one's body. I gasped. _Think, May. It doesn't have the looks to know Leer, but maybe…_

"Use… _Growl_?" I shouted with less confidence than before. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the man in the tree scratch his head and then shrug. To my surprise, the chicken Pokemon let out a cry. It wasn't exactly threatening (heck, it was cute, almost) but it still worked; the wild Pokemon released mine from its jaws and jumped backwards, shaking out its fur. "Now, Scratch again, before it recovers…!"

The Pokemon again acted quickly, scratching its foe twice and rolling back onto its feet. Its attacks were clumsy and weak – nothing like anything I'd seen on TV – but they worked nonetheless. And the chick... wow! Some pep that thing had. There was a cry of pain from the gray Pokemon, and then it hesitated, cast a look at its two companions, and fled into the underbrush. The remaining two gave each other a nervous look, lashing their fluffy tails back and forth, and then did the same.

The little orange chicken let out a wicked battlecry and started bouncing around in the grass.

I blinked, eyes trained on the spot where the wild Pokemon had disappeared. _Did… did I just…?_

"Aha, nice job! You won," came the man's voice again, sounding much less wimpy. He climbed down from the branch – what a scene that was, as it was a pretty tall tree – and walked back over retrieve his bag like nothing had happened. "Whew… I'd been studying some of the Pokemon on this route when those three came out of nowhere! Scared the daylights out of me, heheh…" he rubbed the back of his neck, looking embarrassed. _He should be_, I thought, _what with not fighting back at all when he had three Pokemon on hand…_ "Ahaha, well, thanks a bunch for saving me- wait, you're…"

I looked again at the disaster of a lab coat he was wearing, and I realized this must be Professor Birch.

"You're Norman's daughter – err, May! Of course!" he gathered the rest of his disheveled belongings and then knelt down and made some weird noise while looking at the orange chicken. It glanced back in our direction and then hopped over into his arms. "I'm Professor Birch, Norman's friend! Welcome! Oh! Let's do the whole formal introduction thing later, back at my lab. My wife's probably going to kill me if I'm late for dinner."

Slowly, I gave him a nod. "Um, okay. And it was no problem."

We said our goodbyes and he hurried off, limping as he ran. _Dad has some weird friends. _I glanced at the sky; it was getting fairly late, now, and the sun was beginning its retreat into the west. _I should head back too, I guess._ Out of curiosity, I gazed further down the pathway, into the darkening landscape of trees and ferns. There was a pang in my chest of a million different emotions. It was like I was being called into the heart of Hoenn, exotic, ever-changing, _weird_ Hoenn, and this path right here was where the journey started. _Dad said he'd let me get a Pokemon and become a trainer, eventually... Maybe now that we're moved, he'll have a change of heart, and decide it's finally time... Just a little while longer, now, _I thought with renewed excitement. Not being familiar with the region at all – especially the Pokemon – was obviously a downside, but I wouldn't let that keep me from my Pokemon journey. Not even Dad would, if he randomly decided to change his mind and keep me home. _That rush I felt while battling those wild Pokemon… I'll definitely become a trainer...!_

* * *

_?, Hoenn Region_

_Time: Unknown_

"Reporting in, sir." It was a young woman's voice, loud and confident, but at the same time level - she must have been a rowdy person, when not around her superiors.

There was a grumble from the other side of the room. "...And the others?"

As if on cue, there was a click behind the two, and the door swung open. "Reporting in, sir!" "Reporting in, sir."

"The latest?"

There was a moment of awkward silence, followed by the shifting of the three subordinates.

One of the males finally broke the silence: "Sir, I checked out a number of museums across the region. The Oceanic Museum in Slateport seems like an ideal place to begin. Vehicles pertaining to deep-sea transportation are all planned and built there... Though, it _is_ in the heart of the city, which could be problematic..." It was a thin wisp of a voice, yet held a certain maliciousness behind it that would answer any questions one might have about how someone of his physique would make the rank of Admin.

The other male continued as soon as the first stopped. His voice was gruffer, deeper, and held weight behind it. "An' I checked back up near Fallarbor - sure 'nough, there _is_ a scientist there working on a meteorite of some sort."

"And from what I've read, he's made progress with it recently. It seems like something worth checking out, sir." The girl was sure of herself. She knew she was of use to her boss, and she was proud of that fact. "My intel team has informed me that the Weather Institute has information that's... _more_ than just research on Hoenn's weather patterns. Relating to Pokemon."

"What's next, sir?" came the ruffian's voice again.

The silence returned, and for a moment the only sound was the distant crashing of waves. Then _his_ voice reemerged, emanating a sense of both control and confidence that brought life to the hearts of his dedicated subordinates. "Good. We're getting closer."

A chair wheeled around, and the three stiffened as the eyes of their superior met their own. He let out a satisfied puff of air through his teeth as he grinned. "Soon, we'll have our way. Kyogre... will soon be within our grasp."

* * *

**A/N: **I hope May doesn't seem too snobby here or anything. It's hard writing a silent protagonist into a character, and especially in first person! I'm trying to integrate in anime-May's character with Sapphire's (the manga) trait of being tough/tomboyish, along with Norman's hardcore personality, while keeping the same cool/quiet feeling of a Pokemon protagonist like Red.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Brendan

**A/N:** I'm gonna be honest here and say I wrote this while listening to the soundtrack. It adds a lot to it, I think.

* * *

**Chapter 2 – The Journey Begins! Rival Battle with Brendan!**

I had a strange dream the night following my battle. It had started out in a huge, traditional Pokemon battlefield. I had a full party of Pokemon – powerful ones. The orange chicken one had been in it, too, but it had evolved into something unrecognizable. The roar of the crowd was deafening, and so real, as was the pounding of my heart in my chest, the excitement running through my veins. Then, right in the middle of my battle, I was transported to a completely different place – the sea. Not underwater, though. I was on the surface, sitting on top of a raft of some kind. The water was serene and shone a beautiful turquoise, and the same warm breeze that had greeted me when I got out of the truck in Littleroot was blowing through my hair and around my bare arms. Below the surface were all kinds of weirdly-shaped silhouettes. I had laid back, tentatively resting against the raft and bathing in the warmth, when I'd started to doze, and… and then I'd opened my eyes to find myself back in my cramped room in Littleroot, speckles of sunlight poking through the blinds onto my face.

_I wonder if Hoenn is like what the books say about it,_ I'd thought while eating breakfast that morning. _I guess I'll have to experience it for myself._

* * *

"Huh…? Oh! You're here, May!" chirped Professor Birch, who had been absorbed in a big, noisy machine in the corner of his lab. I waved timidly and approached him. "Your dad has told me so much about you! It's a shame he didn't give you a Pokemon sooner, considering how well you battled back there, ahaha! A hot-blooded trainer, just like your old man!"

I gawked. "I-I wouldn't really say that much, but thank you, sir-"

"Oh, right!"

I stopped mid-sentence at his interruption and looked down. He had placed a Pokeball in my hand. Its red surface shone beneath the fluorescent lights, clean and new, and somehow the sight of it - even the feel of the device's cool surface beneath my palm was exhilarating. Memories of the battle from not so long ago flickered through my mind, the movement of throwing the Pokeball onto the field...

I stuttered a bit. "Umm..."

Birch was grinning widely, hands on his hips. "On that subject, as a thanks for saving me, I'd like you to have this Torchic, the one you used yesterday," he stated, eyes shining. "Don't worry, either, your parents and I are good pals! This is all fine and dandy with them!"

My jaw dropped and I met the Professor's gaze. _Does this mean…_

With a nod, he added, "If you keep working hard and learning more about Pokemon, I'm sure you'll make an extraordinary trainer of yourself!"

I blinked. "You mean- did my dad…?"

The Professor's formality broke, and he laughed heartily. "Yup, he's the guy that planned this! Don't tell him I told you, though! You're all approved and what-not to become a trainer, now, kiddo!"

My grip on the Pokeball tightened. I was at a loss – it had all happened so quickly! And after such a long wait? _This has to be a dream._ "Thank you, Professor…!" Warm tears were gathering in my eyes but for once I didn't care.

"No problem! Oh, come to think of it, you should go see my kid, Brendan. He's helping me with my studies, and I'm sure he'd be happy to see you!"

_Eh?_

"U-uhh… Sure," I responded, though really, I just wanted to take Torchic and run as fast as I could into that forest pathway, and begin my journey.

The professor fumbled through some papers on his desk and then handed me one more thing as I turned to leave – a Trainer Card. "You're good to go, kiddo!"

I gaped at the item. _A real trainer card…_ There was my name at the top, and a spot for my picture – the directions on the back said I could get a photo printed on in 'Rustboro City'. Below that was other information - home address, place of certification, and even a section with eight blank spaces labeled "badges". _Imagine that..._ _Me, getting a Gym Badge... _My heart felt like it'd beat out of my chest. If the professor's word wasn't enough, I now had a tangible item saying I was a _certified _Pokemon trainer...

A heavy pat on my shoulder brought me out of my daze. Birch flashed another grin and a thumbs-up. "Say hi to your old man for me!"

Overcome with joy, I could only return the jolly man's look and peep out a, "Sure!" Blinking away some tears, I waved and hurried out of the lab.

A rush of humid air washed over me as soon as the glass doors zipped open, and just before they shut behind me I heard Birch speak up again. "Go on and see him, now! Brendan will be able to show you what it _really_ means to be a Pokemon trainer!"

I grimaced as I turned the corner around the side of the building. _Yeah, I'm sure he can…_

* * *

Mrs. Birch had very excitedly informed me that her son was at a place called Route 103, which was north of an 'Oldale Town', which was right past Route 101 – the path I had been on the day before. I considered taking the Town Map out of my room but decided against the idea - _those things are so hard to manage, anyway. __I'd probably drop it in the mud within a week of leaving home... _Trucking right on through the quaint and quiet route, with Torchic by my side, had felt like a good idea, but on the way we agitated a good number of wild Pokemon. With much effort, Torchic and I took them down, one after another, and I felt like I was starting to get the hang of battling. It was easy! I had fought Pokemon battles before, of course, but it had all been directed by and run by my father - not once had I been lent a Pokemon to go fight wild ones on my own with. Smirking down at the courageous little Fire-type at my feet, I thought, _that changes, now._

_...Still, it really isn't that menacing, _I noted. Torchic mingled over a pile of leaves, poking at it curiously with its beak, before falling backwards and squealing in fear as a Wurmple burst from beneath the undergrowth. With a sigh, I opted to carry the Pokemon, smoothing out its ruffled orange feathers as we walked.

I thought back to the battle with those gray wolf Pokemon; I could hardly be given the credit for that, since using Growl to intimidate the other Pokemon and get loose of their grasp was a technique I had stolen from one of Dad's own battles. Despite the strained relationship we'd had, I always watched his fights at every opportunity I was given - much to his despair, probably. His colleagues had always talked about how cute it was that his daughter was cheering him on from the sidelines (Mom was there too, a lot of the time, being his biggest fan and all.) But he'd only cast an uneasy gaze my direction, and sometimes comment about how he wished I wasn't so "rambunctious."

"Torchic, Scratch, again!" I called out as a puny, navy blue flying-type Pokemon circled around my own. It was weak, but agile, moreso than the flightless bird I had on my side. Torchic, however, must have had something else in mind, because it spat out a wave of small flames, scorching the bird and sending it flying back into the canopy of the woods for safety.

My eyes widened and I ran over to my Pokemon with a grin. "That was cool, Torchic! It must have been… Ember?!"

The Pokemon chirped aggressively in response and hopped up and down, gratefully accepting the praise. I scooped it into my arms - its feathery body was almost hot on my bare skin. "Wow, good job!"

We moved onwards, into Oldale Town – which was a little more modern-looking and civilized than the rural Littleroot, at least – and visited the Pokemon Center. Despite looking much different from the one in my hometown architecturally, the red-orange roof still gave it away. Walking inside, I was impressed, to say the least. It was clean and high-tech, for such an out-of-the-way town. I had especially been entertained by the potted palm plants, and other tropical-looking vegetation, placed around the interior of the building, which you would never see in Johto. The main lobby was bright and inviting, speckled with trainers here and there, and to either side were hallways containing what I assumed were bedrooms for traveling trainers. The nurse was shockingly similar physically to the nurses of Johto, but once she spoke it was easy to pick up on the slight change of dialect. As Torchic was healed I absently wondered if anyone would be able to tell if I had a Johto accent.

"Here's your Pokemon, miss!"

I jumped at the woman's voice, swerving around on my heel. "T-thank you!"

She held out the tray - a small, metal object with room for six Pokeballs. Carefully, I plucked Torchic's ball and immediately released it.

"Tor!"

A relieved laugh escaped my lips. The Pokemon was fully recovered, its down shiny and clean, and was bubbling with energy again. A lot better than the state I had brought it into the building in. I mentally pinched myself. _Don't be reckless. That's what Dad would say._

Shaking myself of the thoughts I dug a hand into one of my pockets and pulled out a few coins. "How much is it, Ms. Nurse?"

The woman looked up, the clacking of the computer keys in front of her stopping. She then giggled, moving a strand of pastel pink hair from her face. "Oh, no, the care we give Pokemon is free!"

"Huh?" A few coins slipped out beneath my fingers. "R-really?"

She gave me an incredulous look and then laughed again. "Of course! Pokemon Centers are made for providing help for all Pokemon and Trainers."

"O-oh..." I fought off an embarrassed blush as I felt heat rising to my cheeks. "Okay. Thank you...!" _Gaaah! I really am a newbie!_

* * *

Later, we moved on to Route 103, searching for Brendan. We frolicked through some more grass, Torchic angering another plethora of Pokemon. I was amazed at how quiet it was. The songs of birds, of rustling brooks and of dancing leaves filled my ears and in every direction seemed to stretch unending nature, whether it be dense, verdant forest, shimmering fields, or deep blue water. The only unpleasant part was how much the heat had picked up - hot, heavy air that wedged itself between your skin and your clothes and between the hairs on your head, causing it to frizz out. I groaned as I glanced down at my reflection in a puddle and noticed this, tugging the red bandanna atop my mess of hair further down.

Sure enough, the professor's son was standing at the end of the route (still wearing his bizarre hat, despite the weather, but maybe he had the same misbehaving-hair problem I did), jotting down some notes on a piece of paper and murmuring excitedly to himself.

Before I could call out to him, he noticed me and grinned. The expression made him look way too much like his father. "Hey, May! I see Dad gave you a Pokemon."

I gazed down at Torchic. It was pecking boredly at the ground. "Yup," I replied. "It's a Torchic."

His grin twisted into a sly smirk. "Well, we've both got Pokemon now, so how about a battle? I'll only use my Mudkip, to go easy on you."

I met the boy's fiery expression, and then looked back at my seemingly-harmless Torchic. The way his eyes were blazing was almost predatory. And if he was as good as I thought he was, there was a fat chance I could beat him.

"Come on," he teased, pulling out a Pokeball and tossing it between his hands, "I'll show you what being a trainer is about!"

"Tch..." I nodded at Torchic, and it ran in front of me, trying its hardest to look fierce – which was difficult, for a pint-sized chicken with big, shiny eyes.

Brendan held out his Pokeball, and with the flash of red light came a cute, but awkward, blue Pokemon, with an oversized fin on its head. I was surprised. _Very_ surprised. "_That's _your Pokemon?" I inquired, unable to stop myself from snorting. "It's so tiny!"

"Water gun, Mudkip!" Brendan shouted, ignoring the comment. The Pokemon barked and then shot a blast of water from its little tiny mouth, dousing my Torchic. _Shoot, it _is _a Water-type… I have the disadvantage, then. And wow… how does it store that much water in its body…? _The little bird peeped in anguish and dove into some weeds dramatically.

"…Torchic! I know the odds are against us, but we can do this!" I called out, and the Pokemon got back to its feet, water dripping from the yellow crown of feathers atop its head. I'd seen Dad win enough battles with Fighting-type specialists to know that it wasn't impossible to beat Brendan and his Mudkip despite the type disadvantage (Though, he wasn't exactly one for giving motivational speeches to his team.)

Using Ember – Torchic's newest move – definitely wouldn't be a good strategy, at least when used directly _at _the Water-type. I kept thinking, all the while commanding my Pokemon to dodge the deluges coming its way. The strategy wouldn't hold up for long. It was only thanks to Mudkip's inexperience that Torchic could maneuver around its attacks.

"Growl, Mudkip!"

The Pokemon cried out, and in turn my Torchic flinched, long enough for the Mudkip to hit it with another blast. _Come on! That was hardly a growl! _I was worried – not just because losing this battle would effectively destroy my pride and dignity in the eyes of this Brendan guy, but because Torchic had put so much faith into my strategy, and I was letting it down. What kind of trainer would I be, then…?

"One more Water Gun, Mudkip! Finish it!" The opposing trainer ordered, throwing one hand out in front of him.

"Torchic, u-use Ember on the Water Gun!" I blurted out in desperation, tugging on my hair.

There was a blast of fire from my side, and then the whole battlefield was covered in steam. _Yes! …Yes? Yes!_

"Mudkip, Growl again!" Brendan said, unfazed. There was a cry from within the cloud.

"Good!" I smiled. "Aim at where that sound came from, Torchic, and use Ember!"

There came another cry from the Mudkip, sounding more like it was in pain, and then the heated sound of a scuffle. At the same time the breeze picked up once more, and the steam lifted completely. Mudkip was struggling to stand up, but Torchic was bristling and ready for more orders.

I sighed in relief. "Now, Scratch, Torchic!"

In a flash of orange and yellow, the Pokemon was on top of Brendan's, clawing at its face relentlessly with its talons. I took a quick glance at the trainer, to find him with a sour, frustrated expression. Even if he wanted to use a Water Gun to counterattack, the position Torchic had Mudkip in would make aiming impossible. It wasn't as much of a strategy on my part as it was luck – and Brendan could tell. And he certainly wasn't happy about it.

After a few more moments, Torchic moved away from the now fainted Pokemon, spreading its feet proudly and fluttering its wings. I ran up to it, skidding onto my knees, and gathered it up in a hug. _Wow, it's warm!_ "That was awesome! Great job, little guy!"

Brendan, still carrying a good amount of swagger, recalled Mudkip and approached me. "Well, you're not too bad, I guess, May," the boy said with a slight smile as he approached me, and I had to give him credit for being a good sport. "I guess I understand why Dad has his eye on you now, with the way your Pokemon practically loves you already. You could probably get along with _any_ Pokemon, really, haha!"

I scratched my head. "Thanks, ahaha… but I don't think I could befriend _every_ Pokemon. That's a little out there…"

Brendan only shrugged, putting the Pokeball back in his bag. "Well, in any case, we better head back to the lab. I'll see you there!"

And off he went, still holding his head high. I followed, Torchic marching – or rather, limping – at my feet. It was a win, but I knew this was only the beginning of a rivalry. Quietly giggling at the Pokemon, I leaned down and allowed it to climb atop my shoulder.

* * *

"Oh, so you beat Brendan on your first try? That's great! You know, he's been helping me for so long, going and doing field research, so he's got quite a bit of experience already! It's nice, because whenever I go out, I tend to end up in a situation like the one you found me in, and he's there to save me! Yup, Brendan's quite the trainer! And…"

The professor's hearty voice was tuned out by the electric glare Brendan and I were shooting each other. _What, does he not like his dad gushing about someone other than himself? Or maybe he's just upset that someone so much less experienced than him won?_

"…Anyways, my point is, take this!"

A new item was placed in my palm, and I shifted my gaze away from the boy to a small, red, electronic device. For someone of his size, Birch seemed to have shockingly fast movements. Flipping it open, there were a bunch of buttons and a LED screen that was not currently turned on.

"...What is it?" I asked, flipping it closed and open over and over again.

The Professor pointed at my Pokeball. "Call out Torchic, and you'll see,"

I was confused by his response, but obeyed. The small Pokemon chirped tiredly as I released it, clearly exhausted, as we hadn't had time to stop at the Oldale Pokemon Center on the way back to Littleroot. Suddenly, the device's screen lit up, and an image of the Torchic in front of me appeared on it, along with its name and type.

"_Torchic, the Chick Pokemon. Torchic has a place in its body where it stores its flame. Give it a hug – it will be glowing with warmth. This Pokemon is covered all over with a fluffy coat of down._"

After a moment of hesitation, I beamed at the device, and then at the man. "Professor Birch, what… is this a…?"

He laughed, and Brendan lightened up a little, too, equally surprised at this turn of events. "It's a Pokedex! That's right! I've been working with a man known as Professor Oak, who just recently released some of his own to trainers like you! It lets you record Pokemon you battle or catch, and also helps me with my own research. I won't bore you with the details, but if you could just scan each Pokemon you meet, that'd be great."

I was at a loss for words. I'd heard about the innovative Pokedex in the news, and on the internet, but never would have imagined that _I'd _get one. And for free! "I- Thank you!" I told the two of them.

Brendan tilted his head. "Huh, so Dad gave you one, too. Well, you'll probably need these, then, for our next battle," he told me, emphasizing the whole "next battle" part, and handed a few Pokeballs to me. "Hoenn has a lot of cool and diverse Pokemon that I plan on catching, but you can't without Pokeballs, so I recommend you stock up on them!"

_H-he says that like I don't know already… _I thought in exasperation as I nodded.

* * *

"I'm home," I called as I shut the door to our house behind me and slipped my shoes off. My mom ran up to me like she'd been expecting me.

"Oh, that's such a cute Pokemon! Professor Birch gave it to you, right?" she asked while pulling Torchic into a hug (it _did_ seem to glow, now that I took a closer look at it).

"Wha- don't tell me _you_ were in on it, too?!" I gawked, feeling a little betrayed. Juggling the Pokedex and pile of Pokeballs in my arms, I waddled over to the kitchen table and set them down with a loud clatter.

She smiled, snuggling Torchic closer to her face. "Of course! I'm the one who finally convinced your father to let you go, after all! You sure are his child, now that I see you all equipped with Pokemon and Pokeballs and all that stuff."

"Well, I'll definitely train hard and beat Dad's gym," I told her, face hardening, "and make him regret holding me back from being a trainer all this time."

My mother only chuckled gingerly at this. "Well, just don't train too hard! Are you planning on leaving today?"

I nodded.

"Then, you're going to need these Running Shoes! I bought them especially for this day!" she beamed, bouncing over to one of the newly-moved cabinets by the door and pulling something out of a box.

I looked over the shoes. "Oooh." They were pretty flashy, bright yellow and orange. But no more trainer-like than the rest of my outfit – and after putting them on, I realized just how much more comfortable they were than my normal sneakers.

I thanked my mother and ran upstairs, packing a few changes of clothes, all of my savings, and some other things, along with the empty Pokeballs Brendan gave me, into a fanny pack, and took one last look in the mirror. Looking back was a girl way older than any starter trainer, but still beaming with confidence. She was of average height and build, a little small even, with her mom's brown hair and gentle facial features and her dad's sharp eyes. _You're a little late to the party, May, but you finally get to go out there and train Pokemon for _real_._ A big grin stretched across the face of the girl in the mirror.

Snatching up my red bandanna from the desk and tying it around my rather messy hair completed my look.

After hurrying back downstairs, I tightened the belt around my waist and approached my mother, who was still playing with Torchic. She handed me a few bags of what I guessed were nutritious vitamin drinks, cans of veggie juice, snacks, and granola bars (Johto was _so_ particular about health and nature and all that) which I stuffed into my already-full bag.

She then handed me my Torchic. "…"

She looked terribly crestfallen and stared at the ground.

I sighed. "W-what is it, Mom? Come on, cheer up…"

"I'm just so sad my little child is leaving!" she wailed, clinging to me all of the sudden. "To think that you finally have your own Pokemon! Oh, Norman will be so proud of you! Be careful, don't get hurt! If something goes wrong, call that Brendan boy to help you! Make sure you come back here sometimes, too!"

I groaned. "Mom, it'll be fine. And I don't think I'll need Brendan's help…"

"Waahaaah! I'm sorry, honey, I'm just very concerned about you! Good luck! Go get 'em! Say hi to your father for me!" she followed me out the door, waving, and I waved back awkwardly as the few townsfolk walking about watched us. "Stay safe, honey!"

Clenching my fists and just barely containing a laugh, I sprinted across the fields of Littleroot Town right into Route 101, Torchic somehow able to keep up with me. It peeped in glee. A whole, entire new region to explore… I was more than ready to take on whatever awaited.

* * *

**A/N: **I actually split this chapter into two parts, the second being Petalburg. Also I never realized how hard it was to write a plain old Pokemon battle, dang.

I realize May really sounds like a shounen protagonist in first-person, but hey…


	3. Petalburg

**EDIT 1/4/15: **Continuing my revisions of the first few chapters.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Petalburg Gym? The Boy Named Wally**

After staying the night in Oldale and healing Torchic, I stocked up on Potions and made straight for Route 102, on the west side of the town.

Torchic followed me onto the trail, preferring to stay outside its ball, and we gradually fought our way through the route. The area itself was much different from the well-forested Route 101; it was open, with a wooded area splitting the rolling fields into two sections. There was a small pond near the entrance to the route that made me think of Brendan's Mudkip and the type disadvantage I had against him that could be a problem in future battles; he wouldn't fall for the steam strategy twice, I knew, and it had only worked because Route 103 was quiet and there wasn't much of a breeze to blow it away. However, I couldn't exactly catch any Water-types, at least not with a Fire-type and without out a fishing rod.

I settled for training Torchic more, and battled every trainer I found – most of the other kids out training were Bug-type users.

It was later in the afternoon, and we were near the end of the route where I spotted buildings in the distance, that something interesting happened. From behind me came a ferocious-sounding growl, high-pitched and somewhat familiar. I turned.

"Oh! That's…" I pulled out the ever-so-handy Pokedex I'd been keeping tucked in a pocket and flipped it open.

"_Poochyena, the Bite Pokemon. Poochyena is an omnivore – it will eat anything. A distinguishing feature is how large its fangs are compared to its body. This Pokemon tries to intimidate its foes by making the hair on its tail bristle out._"

I glanced back up, a little less worried now that I knew more about the Pokemon. "A Poochyena, huh? You must be the one from that time, then…"

Torchic looked battle-ready, stomping its feet on the ground repeatedly, clearly not intimidated by the wild Pokemon's poofy tail.

Suddenly, the Poochyena charged at Torchic, opening its mouth for a bite, but Torchic was quicker now and jumped out of the way. My Pokemon didn't even need a command at this point in the fight; I watched proudly as it unleashed a blast of embers, knocking the Poochyena over. _Dark-type… All the other Pokemon around here have been Normal or Bug,_ I thought for a moment, with my eyes on the Pokedex. I then reached into my bag as Torchic circled around the injured Poochyena, squeaking, and threw a Pokeball in that direction.

My own Pokemon gawked at me in surprise and betrayal as Poochyena was swept inside in a flash of light. I only shrugged. _I can't challenge the Gyms with only one Pokemon!_

_Click_!

I blinked. _Wait… so then… it worked?_

I approached the unmoving Pokeball cautiously and picked it up. Nothing - no twitching, no glowing. It was perfectly still. A slanted grin then spread across my face, and Torchic seemed to pout a little more. "It looks like you have a new friend, Torchic," I told it, calling out the previously-hostile Dark-type again. Poochyena reappeared in front of me, sitting obediently. It didn't meet my eyes directly, and was still wagging its tail in agitation, but _I had caught a Pokemon._ This called for a party!

Unfortunately, though, it was already getting dark out, and I didn't have time to celebrate. I wasn't going to sleep in the Route overnight, and the nearest building could only be a mile or so away, so I recalled the Poochyena and hurried onward.

* * *

**ROUTE 102**

**PETALBURG CITY**

"WHAT?!"

"_Tor?!"_

I stood in front of the sign, using Torchic's Ember as a makeshift flashlight, gawking. _Petalburg?!_ "B-but… Dad can't be the first Gym Leader. I mean, that's not what he told us, or at least not what I remember…"

"_Chic! Torchic!"_ chirped the Pokemon in reply.

"No, Torchic," I told it, "You don't understand! My father would destroy us if I fought him now! He's super strong... But… if there's a Gym in this town, don't I have to face it, if I'm taking up the League challenge…?"

"_Tor, tooor_!" it chirped again, this time more urgently.

"Oh, right," I scoffed. "Sorry. You can stop using Ember now."

The little flame sputtered out. Torchic was clearly exhausted, so either way, I knew I'd have to go through Petalburg City. If I was forced to face the Gym Leader and have an embarrassing defeat, well, so be it…

_...When did I decide I was going to challenge the Gyms, anyway? _I scoffed. _Then again, why wouldn't I? This may be a new region, but that doesn't mean I can't best all eight gyms, now that I'm on my own!_

* * *

Petalburg itself, I saw as I walked through its heart, was still very rural – Route 102's hills seemed to converge with the city's outskirts, and trees were mixed in among the buildings. Dozens of little pockets of water speckled the landscape, as well, which I assumed were from the heavy rains Hoenn was said to get. The houses bordering the city were old and humble, while further downtown, the hills were striped with suburbs and roads.

"Oh, hello there, miss!"

"…Huh?" I turned around, finding a man probably a little older than me smiling a _little_ too widely for comfort.

"You must be a _rookie_ trainer!" he said in an awfully heroic tone, puffing out his chest. His speech pattern was strangely polite, for someone from this region, but he still had that silly accent. "How about I show you around town?"

"Well, I, uh-" before I could object, he was dragging me towards a lit up blue building – the mart.

The man threw one hand out towards the store. "This is the Pokemon Mart! Here, you can buy all sorts of good stuff for your Pokemon!" He seemed proud of his apparently rare and helpful knowledge.

He then started towing me over to another building. I was still completely shocked. _Is this how Hoenn..-ians… do things here?!_ It was hard to tell whether he was a creeper or just a friendly wannabe tour guide. Torchic was frustrated, chirping and flapping its wings in an attempt to scare off the princely boy, to no avail. I wondered to myself if whisking off random female trainers and trying to impress them with his knowledge of Petalburg City was what he did for a living.

"This is the Petalburg Gym, led by Norman, who just recently moved here!" he beamed, and then gestured to the sign next to us. "This is a Pokemon Gym sign! As you may expect, it marks where a Pokemon Gym is located in each town!"

_Geez, I know that! _I was about to tell him that I _was_ May, Norman's daughter, when he abruptly waved goodbye and left as quickly as he'd arrived. _Weird… _"U-umm... thank you?"

Meanwhile the Gym loomed over me, giving off a foreboding aura.. I fiddled with the ends of my hair and looked at the ground. _I wonder if Dad's gone home yet_… _It's pretty late, so I guess I should just come back in the morning._

* * *

Petalburg City was beautiful in the daylight, I realized upon pulling myself out of the comfy Pokemon Center bed and onto the streets the next day. The pools of water glittered under the clear, blue sky, and one could gaze into them to see a mirror-like reflection of themselves, as well as the small wisps of clouds high above that promised another hot, rainless day. Just like with Littleroot and Oldale, there were wildflowers on either side of the streets, and the Gym, along with most of the houses, had nicely trimmed shrubs surrounding them that were a deep, healthy shade of green. It was clear that the people here really cared about nature.

I stood in front of the building again, anxiousness bubbling up in my stomach. _What will he think? Will he change his mind once he sees me and tell me to go home and give back Torchic…? No, I can't think about things like that._ With a deep breath, I stepped up to the doors, which opened automatically, and entered.

"…Huh? Oh! Look who it is." My father turned around to face me as soon as I entered the first room. Three younger Gym trainers around him were promptly dismissed, and he nodded at me, smiling.

"Hi, Dad. So this is your Gym?" I asked casually, approaching him.

"Yes," he stated. "I assume you and your mother are all moved in now? I've been busy this whole week, so I couldn't show up until late last night, when you were already gone."

I nodded. "It's okay… the Vigoroth took care of everything for us."

His dark eyes flicked down to Torchic, who was pecking absently at the flooring. "And you've got your Pokemon, I see. I'm actually pretty surprised you made it here on your own!"

"Well, Mom wanted me to get Brendan's help, but I think I'm perfectly capable without him..." I told him with a curt nod. "After all, the only Pokemon and trainers around Littleroot are pretty weak." I was somewhat insulted at his lack of faith in me. _At least he's not doting… yet._

"Well then, that's great! Maybe you actually will end up becoming a strong trainer someday, like me," he responded, sounding genuinely pleased. "Or even stronger. I'm assuming you're taking the gym challenge?"

Before I could reply, I was interrupted by a barely audible wisp of a voice coming from behind me. "U-um… Mr. Norman? Excuse me…!"

Both my father and I blinked in surprise and turned to the newcomer, who practically floated towards us. "I… I'm looking to get a Pokemon…"

My father game the boy a half-smile. "Oh, you're, uhh… Wally, right? You live a few houses down?"

The boy nodded. Upon closer examination, I noted his rather frail appearance; he was short, shorter than me, pale, and thin; I guessed his age to be around ten or twelve, especially if he was looking to get his first Pokemon. He wore a baggy gray dress shirt and green pants that complimented his fluffy, olive hair. It shifted as he turned his head downwards, covering up one of his eyes. "Yes, I, um… I'm actually moving to Verdanturf Town with some of my relatives, soon, and I thought it would be less lonely if I had a Pokemon, but I d-don't know how to catch Pokemon so I thought I'd come to the Petalburg Gym Leader for help…"

I felt bad for him. I didn't know a thing about Verdanturf Town, but the boy was definitely sick, and I knew the feeling of not knowing how to approach someone. He looked more interested in the ground than he was at the gym, Gym Leader, and trainer surrounding him. My heart sunk. _And he came to the wrong guy, too... My father would never give a Pokemon to someone as sickly as this kid-_

"I see, I see. I think my daughter here, May, can help you, then, Wally…!" The man responded with a nod.

I snapped my head towards him in surprise. _He's actually doing it?! And... and he's entrusting this kid to _me_?! B-but…_

"Go on and give him a hand, May. Here you go, Wally." My father procured a Pokeball from his pocket and knelt down to place it in the boy's hand. "I'll let you borrow one of mine; a Zigzagoon!"

Wally lit up. "R-really?! Wow! Thank you, Mr. Norman!"

Something twisted inside me, rousing up bad feelings, but I pushed them away, bit the inside of my cheek, and followed Wally as he ran out without another word or look to my father.

* * *

"So, May I… Er… What's it like, being the Gym Leader's daughter?" he asked as we strolled through Petalburg, like I were some kind of idol.

I glanced down at him, unsure, but tried to keep up the positive mood. I mean, he was getting his first Pokemon – who wouldn't be happy about that? "Well, I was exposed to Pokemon and battling and such a lot earlier than other people my age, so… it's nice, because now that I'm a trainer I really know what I'm doing."

"Cool…!" Wally said with a smile. "…E-even though I'm really weak physically, my parents were okay with letting me get a Pokemon before I leave, because I don't really have a lot of friends. But… Pokemon are… really cool, and cute, and powerful, and I finally decided that I want to have one of my own."

I frowned. "W..Well, Wally, don't worry! I'll be your friend, from now on. And I'm sure whatever Pokemon you catch will be happy to be your friend, as well. Maybe it's just me, but I think it's important to see them as friends instead of just… pets, or strategies for battle, you know?" Despite his appearance he seemed to be much brighter and more mature than I thought.

Wally beamed. "…Thank you…! You seem like a really wise trainer."

I couldn't help but laugh.

In little time, we were on Route 103, where Torchic and I watched as Wally ventured into the taller grass and used the Pokemon my father had lent him – a Zigzagoon – to weaken what the Pokedex recognized as a Ralts.

I tapped my foot in irritation as Wally battled. It still bothered me; why would he lend this kid, who was much younger and less experienced than me, a Pokemon and even let him go _catch _a wild one of his own, but then restrict _me_ from doing anything like that until recently? Plus, Wally was ill! _Even the 'it's my responsibility as a father to keep you out of trouble' excuse doesn't explain this!_ I let out a sigh through gritted teeth. Even after my dream of going on a Pokemon journey came through, my father found a way to upset me. But it was hard to stay envious, or angry, or negative at all, around little Wally. He marched back over to me, a proud smile gracing his pale face, and presented to me a secure Pokeball. I congratulated him with a pat to the shoulder and a thumbs-up.

* * *

Once back in the gym, my father dismissed yet another group of trainers and greeted us. _Is he recruiting people for the Gym, or something...? _"Did everything go okay?" His eyes flicked over at mine for a second before moving back to Wally.

"Yes!" Wally chirped, his voice still very quiet despite his excitement. "Thank you very much, Mr. Norman sir, and May…! I-I'll definitely cherish this Ralts! Thank you!"

I watched him hurry out of the gym, telling my father that his mother was waiting for him to come home. He held the Pokeball tightly with both hands so as to not drop it. It warmed my heart, to help out someone like that, and I wondered if I'd ever see him again.

"Well, then, May," my father began once the boy was gone, sounding alert, and I spun back around.

_Uh-oh… He's not going to challenge me to a battle, is he? Damn, I completely forgot about that!_ I thought in alarm. I mentally slapped my forehead. _What a lousy way to start my journey!_

"Don't worry, I'm not going to make you battle me right now," he said with a chuckle.

I sighed in relief.

"You should start in Rustboro, which is through Petalburg Woods to the west, and battle Roxanne, and collect more badges from other leaders... Maybe four or five. They're all tough, so you'll have to put lots of hours into training. And you'll have to battle me, someday, too, of course!"

I nodded. "Okay. Thanks, Dad. I guess I'll be off, then." An image of my mother flashed through my head as I reached the door, and I turned around. "Make sure you stop by our house again, soon, okay?"

"I plan on doing that. I'm sorry I wasn't there to see you off, but it has been busy." He shrugged. "Don't you go worrying about her, now."

I huffed, smiling, and, with one last wave, headed through the exit.

But just as the glass doors were zipping open, his voice sounded across the hall once again. "And May..."

I paused.

"Don't get into any trouble. Keep a level head. When you come back for your fifth badge, show me how you've grown not only as a trainer, but as a person." _There it is,_ I thought with a silent groan.

"Yeah, Dad." The words were prickly and I cringed as they emerged from my lips. With that, I slid through the doors and back into the daylight.

* * *

Before leaving town, I decided to stop in Wally's house out of curiosity, only to find that he wasn't home. His parents, however, greeted me hospitably, and explained more about Wally's illness. It was mostly respiratory, but he had lots of other smaller physical ailments that made life difficult for him. Mentally, though, he was fine, aside from being a little shy.

"He's moving to Verdanturf, mainly, because the air is so much crisper and clearer there," said his mom with a sad look. "It'll help his breathing issues, at least, and if he spends the next few years there, who knows…? He might get healthy again. That would be wonderful."

I hummed in understanding, though I felt a little guilty, as well. _Here I am, worrying about Pokemon and moving, when Wally's been going through all this…_

"We're just happy he got a Pokemon, though. Thank you!" Wally's father told me in a warm tone. "It might not seem like much, since Wally will probably never become an experienced trainer, but… we appreciate it. And he appreciates it."

I chuckled. "I-it's no problem, really. I hope he gets better… And I'll try to stop in and see him if I'm ever around Verdanturf Town."

* * *

After the visit, I ventured onto Route 104. Torchic and I made our way up a ridge of grass that dropped right into some puffy, cream-colored sand, with sky-blue water lapping at the shoreline. It was a quite the view. Further out, like a dark smudge on the horizon, was an island, and I made note to buy a Hoenn map in the next town. Torchic, of course, didn't treasure the overlook as much as I did and continued onward.

"I guess you're right, Torchic. There's no time to go swimming, anyways," I told it, and the Pokemon chirped in agreement.

We marched forwards at our own pace, fighting a few aggressive wild Pokemon and registering them in the Pokedex, before stopping outside an old seaside cottage. Torchic's stomach let out a weak growl, and a few seconds later, mine did the same.

"_Tor!_" it cooed.

"Yeah, yeah," I said, pulling out one of the granola snacks from my bag and splitting it in two. I plopped down in the grass off the side of the trail, next to the cottage, and gazed at the sky while Torchic pecked curiously at the food. Across from us was another overlook, though the steep ridge leading up to it looked difficult to climb. The knoll was covered in colorful, blooming wildflowers, like the ones worn by Bellossoms back in Johto. As the wind swept across the plains, the flowers would all bend back and forth simultaneously, an ocean of pastel pink and blue and yellow.

After a few minutes, I called out Poochyena, who I had only used in a few battles and who was still particularly unfriendly towards me, and held out a handful of berries to it. _It's an omnivore, right? Maybe eating berries instead of meat will make it more docile_, I mused, mouth curving into a lazy grin.

The Pokemon growled in response to the gesture, lashing its tail back and forth.

"Geez, it's just food. You're my Pokemon, now; I'm not going to try and hurt you."

Poochyena watched me carefully with its piercing yellow eyes, and for a second I was afraid it would bite off my entire hand. Torchic observed warily, wings twitching. And then, to my surprise, the Pokemon carefully took the berries from my hand in its maw and retreated a few yards away, before curling up in a ball and eating.

I sat there for a moment, eyebrows raised, before snickering. _Pokemon sure are interesting._

* * *

**A/N:** Now that all the introductions are out of the way and the "beginning" is done with, we get Petalburg Woods and Devon and the beginning of Aqua's involvement, woo!

I'm planning on having Wally be a little more important in this than he was in the game and serve as one of May's closest friends, but we also don't see him again for a little while ;_;

Also, if you've read Pokespe/Adventures, I just want to say that Norman's a lot like his character in that adaptation here. Though, I think he was a little more brutal in that. And obviously he was Brendan's dad, not May's. But he's still very strict and overprotective.

**EDIT **10/18/14: Fixed this chapter a bit, edited typos I didn't even realize were there, cut out some unnecessary stuff, etc.


	4. Shroomish

**Chapter 4 – The Shroomish Fanatic! An Act of Heroism**

"Here we are, Torchic," I said to my partner, giving it a nudge. "Petalburg Woods."

"_Tor_."

Around us stretched a thick wall of vegetation, blocking out most of the sunlight, though it did flitter in here and there, speckling the verdant landscape with yellow. The crashing of the ocean was now very distant, muffled by the forest and replaced by the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind. Even so, it wasn't nearly as dark and menacing as Ilex Forest in Johto. _No problem. Plus, I've got a Fire-type with me, _I thought confidently, marching forward.

There were more than a few wild Pokemon in the forest, though most of them weren't as aggressive as the ones on Routes 102 and 104. I took note of the abundance of white, cocoon-like Pokemon peering at me from the shadows and hidden in branches far above me, and eventually pulled out my Pokedex to scan one.

"Just what are these Pokemon…?" I murmured to myself, pointing it at a particular group of them tucked between two massive branches of a nearby tree.

"_Wurmple, the Worm Pokemon. Wurmple is targeted by Swellow as prey. This Pokemon will try to resist by pointing the spikes on its rear at the attacking predator. It will weaken the foe by leaking poison from the spikes."_

I took a step back. "Whoa! Poison-type! What do ya say, Torchic?"

The little Pokemon squealed and pelted forwards. "Hey, hold on!" I laughed. The Fire-type leaped into the fray, letting out a blast of embers and getting a good scratch on a Cascoon. A slanted smirk made its way onto my face as I started calling out commands, leading the fiery little Pokemon against the army of Bug-types.

By the time it was all over Torchic had sustained little damage thanks to its type advantage, and my Pokedex had scanned both Cascoon and Silcoon. Pulling out a small journal, I jotted down a few notes: _Wurmple line – gather in large groups in Petalburg Forest. Not aggressive._ Yeah, Birch would appreciate that, I told myself.

"_Chic!"_

* * *

There were plenty of other clusters of the Bug-type Pokemon as we continued exploring the woods, but not many trainers, aside from one Bug Catcher fought near the entrance. And furthermore, there was no sign of an exit or any nearby route. The tropical mix of trees had me interested at first, but now, it was getting to be a nuisance, as backtracking was nearly impossible. I sighed, a little worried; we'd spent a lot of time on Route 104, assuming Petalburg Woods would just be a walk in the park, but at this pace… _We might not even make it out of the woods before it gets dark, _I thought, shivering at the thought of sleeping in a tree full of the poisonous Pokemon. If it were any other Pokemon-inhabited area, sure, but Bug-types…

"_Torchic!_" the Pokemon announced, bristling with agitation. It nudged my leg, and I pulled myself from my thoughts. Just a few yards ahead was a strange businessman in a suit the color of the leaves around us, looking a bit too formal to be a backpacker and a bit too old to be a beginner trainer. I would have easily mistaken him as part of the natural backdrop of the forest, had it not been for his bright skin and red-orange hair. _Is he looking for something?_ I thought as I observed the man. He squatted down and began sifting through a patch of some enormous ferns, humming to himself. _What a strange sight..._

I was about to ignore him and carry on when the wind shifted, rustling some fallen leaves against my feet, and the businessman swung around, surprised.

"Oh, hello there, Trainer!" he exclaimed and approached me.

"U-um… Hi…" I greeted him apprehensively, shoving my hands in my pockets. "Looking for something?"

He glanced around again, widened emerald eyes flitting beyond me and up into the branches above. "I am looking for a Pokemon called Shroomish! Have you seen any? I am very passionate about Shroomish, you see."

_Okay, _I thought. _So he's passionate about Shroomish. _"I… I haven't, I'm sorry. All I've seen are these angry-looking Bug-types." _I don't even know what a Shroomish is._

He sighed. "Oh, what a bother. Well, thank you anyways, Trainer, I-"

"_Chic!"_ Torchic cried again, louder, taking a step forward and glaring at something in the undergrowth behind the man. The two of us looked down at the Pokemon, baffled.

"What is it, Torchic…? I asked. "The guy is right here." _And he's not dangerous, or anything._

"_TOR!"_ The Pokemon began jumping in place and tugging at my shorts with its beak.

I raised my eyebrows and picked up the bird, holding it out in front of me. "What?"

Suddenly, there was a rustling behind the Shroomish man, and a flash of blue. I gasped, suddenly understanding, and I took a step back, yelling, "Watch out!"

The man gasped and stumbled over to the left just in time to avoid a large, meaty fist smashing the back of his head. The attacker skidded to a stop in front of me and glared at his target while breathing raggedly.

"What a pain! I meant to ambush you and get the job done back there, but instead you had to wander right into Petalburg Woods!" came a deep, rough voice from the pursuer. I stared him down. Torchic jumped out of my arms and began to knead at the ground. _This can't be good…_

The newcomer was not exactly friendly-looking. He was huge, first of all, wearing a tight, striped t-shirt that revealed some _terrifying_ biceps, and a blue bandanna was tied around his head of messy chestnut hair. He also wore a pair of cargo pants with a white chain design running along the seam, and both of his gloved hands were balled in angry, impatient fists. He stood out starkly in the calm, natural setting of Petalburg Woods, and it was obvious that laying back in a spongy patch of moss wasn't his ideal way of relieving stress.

I did _not_ get a good vibe from this man, to say the least. He was eyeing Shroomish guy like he was a punching bag. My stomach twisted. _All in a day's work for a trainer… right? Maybe he's just an undercover police officer and Shroomish guy's a criminal, o-or he could be an oversized teenager and Shroomish guy is his dad and they're having a fight… N-no, wait, that's not normal, either! _I tugged on my hair, sweating.

Before I could even collect myself, though, the thug man charged at the businessman, taking his collar in his fists and shoving him up against a tree. "I'm tired of sitting around! Give me the damn papers, Devon!" His voice was powerful and shattered what was left of the serene atmosphere of the forest. The twisting in my stomach became more violent. Half of me wanted to rush in and break the two up, and the other half wanted to keep over and puke. He started shaking the Shroomish man and repeated himself once more, tightening his grip.

I stood there, petrified by fear, until the helpless man's eyes met mine. They no longer held the innocent curiosity of a Pokemon fanatic; tears caused the green orbs to shine in the waning sunlight, and he looked like a Stantler caught in headlights, mouth wide open, trembling. "Y-you there, help me out, p-please! You're a Pokemon Trainer, right?!"

Torchic squawked again, reminding me that I wasn't alone in this. _That's right. I'm not helpless. I can do this, easy. _I lowered my eyebrows and glared, waiting for the aggressive man to notice me.

"Huh?" He followed the businessman's eyes and met my gaze. "Are you kidding me? You think _you're _gonna save this guy?"

"Please, let him go," I requested coldly. Unfortunately, the difference in our voice's levels was like a Pidgey to a Granbull, and my lack of confidence was obvious.

The thug only grinned as he turned to face me. His face was nasty and grotesque, like that a wolf. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, kid." The businessman was then dropped unceremoniously to the forest floor. "But if you really wanna mess with Team Aqua, then let's go!"

In a moment, a Poochyena was standing in front of its trainer, baring its ivory fangs. I contemplated sending out my own, but before I could reach for the ball Torchic stepped up in front of me and chirped.

"Bite! Go!" the man shouted. His Pokemon flung itself forward.

"Dodge, Torchic!" I called, but his Pokemon was too fast; Torchic cried out in pain as the Poochyena closed its teeth around it and tossed it to the side. Already, the battle was reminding me of the incident on Route 101.

I gritted my teeth as the man then called out for his Pokemon to use Tackle. Torchic was still struggling to get to its feet - all the training we had done earlier had tired the poor thing out. At the last minute, I told it to use Growl, and thankfully the attack weakened the force of the Poochyena's impact, though only a little – Torchic was sent even further still into the bushes.

"Ha ha ha! A weak Pokemon for a weak trainer!" The man's Poochyena then turned towards me, baring its teeth again, thinking Torchic was done for…

"Ember!"

Flames flew towards the back of the Poochyena and scorched it, amplified by my Pokemon's ability, Blaze, which I'd learned about after inspecting its Pokedex entry again in Petalburg. When in a pinch, Fire-type moves would be powered up. Just like in the fight with Brendan. The little canine Pokemon began running around in circles, yelping in pain.

"Good, Torchic, on your feet! Use Focus Energy!"

The Pokemon, though damaged, braced itself as the Poochyena continued bouncing about in hysteria. It obviously wasn't trained very well. _Surprise, surprise._

"You stupid thing, get a hold of yourself! Use Bite again!"

After another moment, the Dark-type shook furiously and cast a deadly glare towards Torchic. "_'Ynaahh!_" It charged forwards at full speed, opening its mouth, getting closer and closer… and then…!

"Ember again, Torchic! At point blank!"

The opposing man's eyes widened, making him resemble his own nasty little Pokemon.

Flames erupted from Torchic's beak once more, right into the furious face and snapping jaw of the Poochyena. It cried in agony, obviously burned badly, before collapsing in a pile of leaves, unconscious.

There was a brief moment of silence as the man stood with an expression of frustration, before he called back his Pokemon.

"…Tch! I'll give you a break today, kid, but if you get in Team Aqua's business again, you're done!" he grinned. "…Besides, we've got an operation goin' on in Rustboro as we speak, so it looks like it's a win-win for us, anyways!"

He then ran off, head held high, fading into the shadows provided by the thick canopy and dense vegetation.

I sighed in relief as the quiet, natural atmosphere of the forest returned. A small breeze blew my bangs away from my face, and I brought one hand up to wipe the sweat from my brow. Peace, quiet... Like the disruption had never happened. My heart was racing and I closed my eyes.

"Wow, that was pretty close!" The businessman said. He was finally on his feet again, and rushed over to me with a grateful look. "I come out here every day after work looking for Shroomish, you see, and no one's ever followed me into the woods before… If you weren't here, then… Then he would have got his hands on these important Devon Corporation documents…"

I rubbed the back of my head. "I-it was nothing. I've fought worse." _Okay, May, that was a lie._

The man bowed his head before continuing. "…Oh! He just mentioned Rustboro, didn't he?" His look of relief was replaced by an urgent expression. "I have to hurry and tell the President! Thank you again, Trainer!" He placed a Pokeball – no, once I got a better look, it was a Great Ball - in my hand and hurried off in the same direction as the Team Aqua member, large briefcase in tow.

I hadn't an inkling of what had just transpired. Devon Corporation? Rustboro? That was the city north of here, right…? With the Gym Leader I was supposed to, according to my father, face: Roxanne. It would be too bad if some kind of gang – or whatever that 'Team Aqua' the guy mentioned was – ended up causing trouble there and making the Gym Leader unavailable to challenges. I looked down at Torchic, who was in bad shape, and recalled it into its ball before moving on through the woods, the whole ordeal replaying through my head again and again.

* * *

It was dark by the time I finally reached the exit of Petalburg Woods, and the sound of distant voices and songbirds was replaced by the chirps of crickets and cicadas. Fortunately, the sky was still clear - if there was one thing Hoenn was known for, it was its radical weather. The trees suddenly opened up to reveal an expansive landscape of rolling hills and ponds, glowing beautifully under the moonlight. I felt awfully alone, nonetheless, and wondered how my parents were doing. I wasn't even at Rustboro City and yet Littleroot Town felt so far away. How many days had it been since I'd started my journey, again...?

_Fwip!_

Something hit my cheek. I flinched, narrowed my eyes, and brought my hand to my face.

_Fwip! Fwip!_

"Ow!" I exclaimed as two more objects hit my head I turned to find some kid shooting seeds out of his mouth at me.

"Hiya! I like filling my mouth with seed, then spittin' them out real fast!"

I glared at him and snorted. "Okay."

The weird seed kid gave me a TM for Bullet Seed – which was fairly useless, I thought to myself, considering I didn't have any Grass-types on my team, but nonetheless nice of him – and went on about spitting out seeds for a bit before walking off into the woods. I sighed. _Hoenn is weird. Hoenn is so weird…_

There was a building nestled in between a few trees next to the large lake that stretched off to the right, and the lights were still on; as I approached it, and read the sign telling me it was some kind of berry store, I noticed that it was surrounded by all sorts of tiny flowers – most of which were closed up, because the sun had gone down – as well as edged plots of mulch where berries could be planted. I was too hesitant to go picking the fully grown ones, even though I read that Hoenn was known for its abundance of berries, because I wasn't sure if they belonged to someone. _I don't want a repeat of what happened that one time, on Route 39,_ I thought with a shiver. I'd been out exploring, like any other day, and took an apricot from someone's apricot tree, only to have the cooky old owner of the house come chasing after me and, later that day, I earned a long and tiresome scolding and from my father.

Out of curiosity, I entered the building. There were a number of friendly women inside, giving me a variety of berries after learning I was a fairly new trainer and telling me about Hoenn's berry culture. A younger girl gave me a watering pail shaped like a Wailmer, and mentioned something inspiring about how berries would jump back out of the soil even if they dried out as if they had the will to live. I had half a mind to ask them if I could stay the night there, but decided against it, due partly to shyness and partly to the fact that I knew I should start getting used to camping out.

I waved goodbye to them, saying another thank-you, and left the shop. The moon was high in the sky, now, and though it was only half-full, I could still see a good distance ahead of me. Fields for as far as the eye could see, with orange dots here and there where trainers were camping, and beyond that, a lake.

After more exploring, I picked out a group of trees on the water's edge and set down my bags, pulling out a light sleeping bag – with the warm climate of Hoenn, I assumed you probably didn't even _need_ covers at all – and settled in, calling out both of my Pokemon. I then took out two Potions and tried my best to patch them up. Rest would surely help heal Torchic's wounds, but not entirely – I wasn't sure how far away Rustboro City, and the Pokemon Center, was, so I expected the worst. _Tomorrow will be another big day, and so will the day after that and the day after that, _I thought with an excited grin.

Poochyena, though not nearly as badly wounded, was pacing back and forth around the tree. _It must be hungry, _I thought to myself, so I pulled out three berries and a granola bar midnight snack.

After my Pokemon were all tended to, I rested my head on my bag, gazing up at the leaves shaking gently in the breeze. Both of my Pokemon – that's right, Poochyena, as well – curled up on either side of me and fell right asleep. I scoffed. _This is the life._ The lake in front of me was gorgeous and shared the same stillness of the ponds in Petalburg City, holding the moon, the stars, and remnants of rainless clouds captive inside its dark waters.

"As long as there's no Bug-types, I guess it'll be alright…" I murmured as I drifted off into a slumber.

* * *

**A/N:** Woohoo, Team Aqua!

I like to imagine that the grunts/lower-ranked members are sort of brutish. I mean, they wear pirate outfits. I'll try to retain the silliness/stupidity that the Aqua/Magma thing had in the games, but at the same time I'm gonna deepen it some. Basically, both Maxie and Archie (as you'll see later) have that goal about water and land and whatever, and reasons behind it, so they aren't just idiots that gathered a bunch of thugs together and caused chaos… They're activist groups, (again, this shows up later) and the grunts all share the same ideology as their leaders, but a lot of them don't understand the weight it carries and that Archie is actually serious about his goal.

This is getting really long so I'll just talk about Aqua more in another chapter when they're relevant again (whenever we get to Slateport and May delivers the goods). But it's just a psa I guess, since I'm going to make them a little more detailed than they were in the game.

Anyways, next chapter's the Rustboro Gym, and we get to see our ~courageous protag~ take on literally the hardest gym leader in the game if you started with Torchic lmao


	5. VS Roxanne!

**EDIT 8/10/15: **Revamped this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Rustboro City! VS. Roxanne, **_**"The Rock-Loving Honors Student!"**_

"Alright, everyone! Let's head to Rustboro City!" I shouted, stretching my arms and legs. The sun had just poked up beyond the trees a few minutes ago, but aside from that I had no idea what time it was, only that my whole body felt cramped and sore. A breeze drifted off across the wide, misty pond covering the land ahead, not yet warmed by the sunlight. The trees rustled drowsily in return, drawing forth the chirps of a few awakening birds. "Wow, I've never really been a morning person until my Pokemon journey. That's what I call maturing."

Torchic poked its head out from beneath my sleeping bag and cast me a death glare. Its squawk of objection was much more shrill than the calming bird songs coming from the canopy above.

I laughed. "Well, that one day in the Pokemon Center doesn't count. I was up late that night."

"_Chic,_" it turned the other way and spat out a puff of smoke.

After some encouragement to the Fire-type to keep moving, I called Poochyena back into its Pokeball and began trekking alongside the lake. I could spot where the path picked up on the other side – a long, wooden boardwalk served as a sort of bridge across the lake, connecting the Route's main trail. Torchic kept objecting as it trailed behind me, but refused to go into its ball, for whatever reason; perhaps it was afraid of Team Aqua coming back for revenge…?

"You know, the more you object, the slower we're going to get to Rustboro, where the Pokemon Center is," I told it. Clearly Potions could only do so much for a Pokemon's energy.

On the way, I battled a few trainers using Poochyena, and registered Shroomish and Seedot in my Pokedex. I also was more or less forced to teach myself how to Double Battle, having been challenged by a two little twins. It wasn't something I'd ever seen before, not in Johto and not on TV. Hoenn was apparently much more with the time. As life picked up on the route and the lake turned from a sleepy gray to sky blue, we eventually arrived on land again, searching for more battles. There was a fisherman who claimed to be a Water-type expert, which worried me a bit at first, but it turned out his only Pokemon were Magikarp – a nice throwback to Johto and Kanto, where they were _very_ common in both the wild and with trainers.

I paused when Rustboro's skyline appeared in the distance, shrouded in haze, and looked back the way I came. _Petalburg City is already so far away, _I thought to myself – the dark treeline that bordered the woods of the same name was now practically out of sight, concealed by a dozen grassy hills. Despite the observation, I didn't feel half as alone as I did the previous night. _It's probably just the weather, _I thought. _It's hard to be negative in this beautiful sunshine…_

A breeze had picked up and was skimming across the surface of the pond and some of the nearby puddles, one of which sat just below my feet in a dip in the ground. I squatted down at the edge, all of the sudden, and splashed some of it on my face, realizing from my reflection that I really wasn't all that well groomed and was having one hell of a hair day. Behind me, Torchic squealed in disgust, but the liquid appeared clean enough and there wasn't a car or building in sight.

The Pokemon continued to eye me meticulously as I attempted to fix my wild hair, before glancing down at its own reflection and trying to reach up to the small puff of yellow feathers atop its head with one talon.

* * *

The hours rolled onward as Torchic and I made our way across the rest of Route 104. Once off of the boardwalk, it wasn't long before the hills evened out, the unpaved natural trail became white brick and pavement roads, and buildings shot out of the ground all around me, seemingly touching the bottoms of the accumulating clouds.

My feet scuffed against the ground as I craned my neck upwards, continuing into the inner city. "Whoa!" I muttered to myself. "So this is Rustboro City, then! …It reminds me of Goldenrod, a bit…"

Torchic squawked and bounced in front of me as if asking to be picked up.

"Oh, right," I said, gathering its warm, feathery form in my arms. "Pokemon Center first."

We rested in the cool building for a few hours, and ate a proper meal, before heading back out into the bustling city. The cobblestone roads seemed to curve endlessly about the tall, modern buildings, and at every street corner there was a new shiny structure to marvel at. The nurse that had cared for Torchic gave me directions to the city's Pokemon Gym – it was, apparently, not too far from Rustboro's central school.

It was strange to have such a significant change in scenery, but nice, at the same time, I'd thought to myself. Torchic kept up with me as I explored, and all the while I subconsciously kept an eye out for the Team Aqua thug. _Should I… tell the police, or something…?_ I thought. _…No, he probably was one guy… I bet the Devon Corporation man stopped him… Still, is crime really that big of a problem in Hoenn...?_

After around an hour I concluded that I was once again lost. I stopped in one of the many stores to inquire as to where the gym was, and was told it was located near the northern end of the city; unfortunately, the tidbit didn't help at all. _It's not like I have a map or a compass! _I sauntered awkwardly out of the building, the door jingling as it swung open, and continued down a street I didn't know the name of, head buzzing in confusion. I found my way into a beautiful hotel lobby, and here another man, after I told him I was looking to challenge the gym, gave me an HM for the move Cut, which I accepted with much gratitude (it would have helped out more in Petalburg Woods more, though!), though his directions didn't help much, either.

Overall, the city was amazing; there was a mix of old buildings, and newer, more modern ones. The Cutter – who had given me the HM – informed me that a good portion of the city had been built recently, and many of the tall, silver apartment complexes lining the side roads were housing for employees of a Devon Corporation, while the older brick structures held lower-class families and children attending Rustboro's renowned trainer's school. I took the day off to find my way around, gradually moving towards the Gym at the northern exit. Serving as the city's centerpiece was a massive estate with unbelievable architecture and a sign on the gate lining it labeled 'Devon Corporations Headquarters'. The courtyard beyond held a verdant garden full of blooming flowers, fountains, and marble statues. I thought back to the man rummaging through the woods for a Shroomish; he worked for _this _company? They sure did look important. I later learned from talking to an older man in a different building that Devon had originally been a tiny business focused on mining before growing into the monster corporation that it was today. _Geez,_ _Hoenn is definitely less rural, than Johto, then,_ I mused.

We eventually found the Pokemon Gym – right across the street from the school, as the nurse had said – but Torchic still looked tired and I had decided I wanted to train my current Pokemon more before battling Roxanne, so I left without even peeking inside and headed back to the Pokemon Center.

* * *

The next day, Torchic was feeling better, so I hiked back out to Route 104 and battled a few Pokemon. After so many fights, I'd established that the only Pokemon to appear on land on this Route were Zigzagoon, Tailow, Poochyena, Marill, and Wurmple (all of which I'd already registered); however, this was proven wrong when I came face-to-face with a new Pokemon I recognized as Wingull. I had spotted them before, but they were always far off in the distance, flying, or bobbing up and down on the peaks of waves in the ocean. Up close, they were more versatile, and, of course, cuter.

So, naturally, I decided to catch one, despite the Water type not holding any particularly important spot in my heart. After weakening it with Poochyena, I threw the Great Ball given to me by the Devon researcher.

_Click!_

My mouth curved into a small smile, and both Poochyena and I ran up to the ball.

"Alright, we've got another one, Poochyena!"

It growled and turned the other way indignantly. I scoffed.

For the most part, I felt ready for the Gym Battle. With three Pokemon on my side, the odds appeared to be in my favor. Torchic, especially, was fired up for the battle, and I knew that it would need its energy. _I can only hope I don't mess up horribly – or that I haven't been doing something wrong this whole time – and lose, _I thought with a frown. _I need to prove Dad wrong… I need him to realize how wrong he was about holding me back…!_

* * *

The sun was setting once again, and I realized in annoyance that I'd spent too much time dawdling around. It was still around a twenty minute walk back into the heart of Rustboro.

I turned to my team of three Pokemon, who were all wolfing down their dinner of Pokemon food and berries.

"Today's the big day, you three. Give it your all!"

Each of them chirped in acknowledgement before going back to eating. New confidence flamed up inside me. Torchic really was looking a lot better, and Poochyena was practically caught up to it in experience. I _knew_ we could win this.

* * *

A blast of cool air conditioning practically sent me falling backwards as I stepped inside the large building that was the Rustboro City Gym, trying to remember everything I knew about the Pokemon League, besides the fact that my father himself was a Leader. _Let's see… Well, first of all, Jasmine's family owned the Olivine City Gym… _I reminded myself. _There's eight of them in a region, and sometimes there's an order you should follow, but some trainers just go at their own pace… Yeah, I remember now. _Memories of sitting in front of the TV every week night, watching a certain TV drama about a young boy taking up the Johto gym challenge – along with the news channels, which had all sorts of information about gyms – came back to me. _So, this will most likely be a 3-on-3 battle, right? I can't expect Roxanne to go easy on me, even if I don't have any badges yet… I wonder… what type is she, anyways…? The sign didn't say…_

"Yo! Are you thinking of challenging this Gym?"

My attention turned to an older man, dressed in a simple pair of khakis and a polo shirt with a label reading "RUSTBORO GYM." He was marching towards me.

"Oh!" I rummaged through my bag for a Pokeball. "Are you one of the Trainers?"

He chuckled. "No, no! But I can help you out with the Gym challenge! You gotta know the type Roxanne specializes in, right?"

I blinked in surprise. "Um, no, I actually didn't check."

He laughed a little too easily, tucking his hands into his pockets. "She's a Rock-type trainer, of course!"

_What?!_

"That means Fire-type moves, Normal-type moves, and a number of other types aren't very effective against her. But Water-type moves and Grass-type moves are." The eccentric man held up a finger and nodded to himself.

Panic shot through me. I'd been planning to rely on Torchic for most of the battle, and maybe Poochyena… but now they both had the disadvantage…?! _Even with all that training, how will we ever get through this one…?!_

"Anyways, I'm rooting for you, Trainer!" he told me with a grin and a little cheer, which didn't even scratch the shield of negativity that had begun orbiting around me. I was pushed past the entrance and into the inner room of the gym. All around me, rough stone pillars arched up to the ceiling, boulders lined the path to the other side of the room, and two huge, industrial fans groaned loudly from either side of the chamber. "Go for it!"

I gulped, glanced back to the entrance uneasily, and stepped forwards.

It was weird to see a middle-aged man that looked like some kind of janitor serve as a cheerleader in a Pokemon Gym.

* * *

The first battle was rough on us; the only Pokemon that the kid had was a Geodude, but between that Gym trainer and the second one, who had three of the sturdy Rock-types, we took a number. There was no blow to my confidence, however, or Torchic's, who was stamping at the ground next to me and breathing out little puffs of smoke as the third trainer stepped forward.

"Hello!" came a booming, but feminine, voice. A young girl stepped forward, holding a neutral expression and fiery red eyes. She wore what looked like a school uniform, with magenta tights to match the ribbons in her smooth chestnut hair.

_Huh? This is the gym, isn't it? The school is…_

"Welcome to the Rustboro City Gym! I am its leader, Roxanne."

I gawked. "What… _You're_ the leader?!" _She's younger than me! _I bit back the comment. _How in the world…_

She seemed unfazed. "_Yes_, I am the Gym Leader here. I studied at the Rustboro Pokemon Trainer's School and was the top student, and am _fully_ qualified for the position. I suggest you do not underestimate me before I've even released my first Pokemon, challenger."

Sobering, I responded, "I'm May. I'm here to challenge you, and gain my first Hoenn Gym badge."

Roxanne nodded in understanding, a slight smile appearing on her face. "Well then, I suppose you know the rules already? We'll each use three Pokemon. Please, demonstrate to me the tactics and Pokemon that you would use in battle!"

The referee – who was one of the two kids I'd just beat in a battle – called out the rules and terms of the battle. Then Roxanne was hurling a Pokeball onto the uneven cobblestone flooring, and there was a flash of light. I stepped back, covering my eyes.

"_Dude!_"

…And in front of me sat a small Geodude.

I raised my eyebrows and pulled out the Pokedex. _Geodude! Her too...? That's right, I still need to scan it with my_ _Pokedex_. Roxanne shifted as I clicked on the device._ It only figures that they'd be here in Hoenn, too, right…?_

"_Geodude, the Rock Pokemon. When Geodude sleeps deeply, it buries itself halfway into the ground. It will not awaken even if hikers step on it unwittingly. In the morning, this Pokemon rolls downhill in search of food."_

As soon as the Pokedex finished scanning Geodude, I flipped it closed and threw out Torchic's Pokeball. I'd had good luck with the Pokemon in tough situations in the past, including the two previous trainers – _Geodude shouldn't be too much of a challenge… Even if you are at a disadvantage, Torchic…!_

"_Tor_!"

Roxanne's eyes flashed, almost as though she were interested, but it didn't spread to the rest of her face, which remained tight and serious. "You have the first move, Trainer May."

"Okay, then," I replied, and then commanded, "Ember, Torchic!"

The Pokemon blew out its signature spray of flames. I didn't have much of a plan, at this point – I just wanted to test the opponent Pokemon's strength.

"Harden, Geodude!"

The enemy responded, its rocky exterior hardening. Torchic's flames simply brushed past the surface, hardly doing anything, and disintegrated into smoke.

"_Dude!"_

I gritted my teeth; this is what I was afraid of happening. I was outmatched, and hadn't even realized it beforehand. In Olivine, our family friend, Jasmine, trained Rock-type Pokemon, and I'd seen enough fights between her and her family members to know that her Onix could have withstanded even the strongest Fire Blast. Geodude appeared to be similar in that way.

"…Try a Scratch, Torchic!" I called out, taking a different approach. "Charge at it, before it can use Harden again!"

Torchic ran towards Geodude, still full of energy, and brought its talons down, and… and…

It still had hardly any effect, except for creating a horrible screeching noise as the nails slid against the Rock-type's hard exterior.

_Gah, damn it!_

"Now, Geodude! Strike back! Rock Tomb!" Roxanne shouted, still not losing her cool, yet serious, air.

_Rock Tomb? _I blinked. _I've never heard of that one before...! _Everything happened so quickly; rocks were soaring across the battlefield, churning up an enormous cloud of dust and dirt; some slammed into the ground and some crashed against another, and after a few disorienting seconds, the entire battlefield looked like the site of a meteor shower. I swallowed, waiting for the dust to clear. _There's no way that could have…_

A tiny silhouette sat still among the boulders, and I kept my eyes on it, though they were watering due to the dust. _It can't be… it can't be… not yet…!?_

The dust cleared the rest of the way; my Pokemon was lying defeated on the ground.

I frowned, and called it back without a look at Roxanne, who was most likely smirking. The small seed of doubt that'd been hidden behind my confidence grew all of the sudden, overtaking my other thoughts, and as Poochyena burst from its Pokeball, my discouragement only intensified. My father's face flashed through my mind, though he wasn't giving me the encouraging, 'you can do it!' look that one would normally think of – instead, his eyes were narrowed in disappointment, and dark. Another image was of Littleroot – my tiny, cozy room, the with the new clock that I'd assumed would only collect dust in my absence.

_Maybe…_ I thought, gazing up at Roxanne – she was perched atop a small pedestal, and her face held some amount of smugness to it – _maybe Dad will send me to the school in Rustboro, until I learn how to take out a simple _Geodude_… and I won't be able to travel..._

With a heavy sigh, I shook the thoughts from my mind as best as I could and gazed back up at the battlefield, which was still completely shredded by rocks. _I can't think about those things. Not right now, I can't…_

* * *

The rest of the battle, much to my despair, went just as poorly. Poochyena managed to defeat Geodude, but only after sustaining more damage than I'd intended, and Roxanne still had a second Geodude on hand – along with her third Pokemon, which I assumed was her signature one. We had the upper hand, at first, but the rocks on the battlefield made it difficult for Poochyena to maneuver about, and even more difficult for it to find the camouflaged Geodude. Poochyena would normally rely on scent in a situation like this, but what scent could a living rock have, especially when surrounded by other boulders? Wingull, too, was a lost cause, with very little training and its Flying-type combination making it vulnerable to Roxanne's Rock Tomb.

In the end, it was a test of endurance – a skill that Geodude excelled at, and something my Pokemon had yet to be introduced to. I lost, completely, humiliatingly.

"…Well, that was a good battle. You have potential. Come back another time and face me again," the Gym Leader stated coolly once I returned the fallen Wingull, before strolling casually off into a back room.

I stood there, practically in shock, staring at the stoic and yet somehow smug girl as she exited the arena. How could I _lose_? After training so hard, and summoning up all that determination, after the battle in the woods… _Haven't I gotten stronger? At all?_

Once more – it was becoming somewhat of a redundant action –I shook my head. That wasn't important; I'd train more and challenge her again. That was it. The only choice I had.

I hurried back to the Pokemon Center, tail between my legs, and laid low for the rest of the evening.

* * *

The next day, I tried something different; pinning two of my own Pokemon against each other, in a play-fight. We hiked out to Route 104 once more in the first few hours of dawn, restocked with all kinds of Potions and restored with the help of the Pokemon Center's care. I ventured into an empty part of the fields, near some mid-sized stones by the water's edge, and nodded in approval.

First up was Wingull and Poochyena, who were both slightly less experienced than Torchic.

"Charge, and use Bite! Go, dodge it, Wingull! Good, now fly around to the other side of him and use Water Gun!"

The bird Pokemon responded, maneuvering behind Poochyena and sending a blast of water in its direction. Poochyena yelped in frustration and shook its fur out for the umpteenth time in a row. I directed them to do the same procedure again and again, and eventually, it was midday, and Wingull had improved outstandingly. (Poochyena, on the other hand, was not only wet, but also irritable and hungry.)

"Good job, you two," I praised, sitting down next to them and handing them each a snack, Poochyena nearly biting my fingers off as it took its portion of the food. "I know it was annoying, tough guy, but Wingull here needs the training."

The Pokemon growled to itself and curled up on nearby rock next to the lake. Its gray fur shimmered under the powerful afternoon sun, and I chuckled. _When did Pokemon become my replacements for people as friends? Well, I guess it's been that way for a while. Even so, I bet all these passersby think I'm pretty weird,_ I thought, eyeing some of the people on the boardwalk, who were talking in groups or on the phone or were having an afternoon date. I glanced back over at Wingull, and reached for my belt, pulling out the third Pokeball.

"_Torchic!_" the Pokemon cawed in dejection as it was released from its ball.

I felt a pang in my chest and patted it on the head. "It's fine. Mudkip or Treeko would've given me an easier advantage over Roxanne, but… I'd still stick with you, even if I'd known the first Gym Leader was a Rock-type trainer, Torchic!"

It seemed to cheer up a little, nuzzling its fluffy head into my side, and I giggled in response, glad to have improved the Pokemon's mood. We trained the rest of the day, Wingull and Poochyena both trying to help Torchic get back on its feet, and all four of us swatting away bugs, and in the late afternoon headed back into town.

* * *

"This will be a three-on-three battle against the challenger known as May, and the Rustboro Gym Leader, Roxanne! Begin!"

"Geodude!"

The familiar living chunk of rock appeared again on the opposite end of the battlefield, but I wasn't as disarmed this time. _Don't get ahead of yourself. _I inhaled sharply, and then chucked out the Great Ball holding Wingull. The little bird materialized with a flash and let out a caw, clearly full of energy.

Roxanne nodded. That calculating look was still present in her glowing eyes and small frown. "Rock Tomb, Geodude!"

As expected, airborne rocks as big as me began flying at Wingull; but the training we'd done proved to be advantageous, and my Pokemon dodged them with ease and made its way towards its foe at an alarming speed, using the momentum from swerving around the rocks to propel itself forwards.

"Now, Water Gun!" I shouted.

Wingull flew over the last rock, skimming its surface – a few cloud-like feathers fell off of its belly in the process – and opened its mouth, aiming right at Geodude. The Rock-type had immense power and defense, but it was practically useless Speed-wise, like most Pokemon of its type. And where Geodude was lacking, Wingull excelled; it not only had a partial type advantage, but it was as fast as a dart mid-flight, impossible to aim at and impossible to predict. The blast of water slammed right into Geodude's face, and it went tumbling backwards like a beach ball before crashing into one of the boulders scattered by Rock Tomb, which then collapsed on top of it.

"Good work!" I exclaimed, feeling fiery excitement spark to life in my chest.

"Return, Geodude," called Roxanne. She threw out her next ball, which, of course, was also a Geodude. _Let's see if I can beat my record…_ I said silently as I observed the Pokemon – it was slightly larger than her first Geodude, but that didn't change the fact that it was weak to Water Gun.

Unfortunately, we hadn't _mastered _the dodging technique, so Wingull was once again knocked right out of the arena without even landing an attack on its opponent. I pinched myself before the same thoughts of doubt that'd seized me before could take root in my mind, and recalled the crumpled up bird.

_This isn't over yet. _I met Roxanne's expectant gaze, and she seemed to understand this. Her eyes flashed once again, and her head tilted a little as if wondering what her prey's next move would be.

I sent out Poochyena, next, hoping that it would avenge poor little Wingull, but the Geodude's size wasn't just for show – it was much stronger, its Rock Tomb more accurate, and, of course, its Defense was much, much higher, as it endured almost all of feisty Poochyena's Bites and Tackles without batting an eye. Then, with a single Tackle of its own, Roxanne's monster of a Pokemon sent its foe skidding across the arena and slamming into a nearby wall. I gawked and recalled it. _Damn! Get a hold of yourself, May! You had the lead!_

Both Roxanne and I knew what Pokemon I would send out next. Her judging, thin line of a mouth curved into a smile as I summoned Torchic from its ball again, and I felt myself sweating despite the intensity of the air conditioning. _What does she have up her sleeve…? What's the last Pokemon in her party? Will I even make it that far?_

Torchic squawked, the sound echoing across the arena, and began kneading at the ground with its talons as though it were an agitated wild Tauros, clearly holding a grudge against all Geodudes thanks to our first match. I scoffed playfully at the Pokemon, at first, but then realized that I shared the same animosity, as well. _Of course I'll make it to her last Pokemon. I have to._

The tables, somehow, ended up turning. Torchic was much faster than Geodude, and though the Fire-type's strongest attacks were about as effective as a summer rainstorm against an deep-rooted oak tree, there were already so many boulders scattered across the battlefield that it made Geodude's own Rock Tomb ineffective; Torchic could easily avoid the attack by ducking behind one of the many stones.

"This is an interesting strategy, May, but how long can you keep this up?" Roxanne questioned from across the room, still using that casual-yet-formal tone. _She still has a third Pokemon,_ I reminded myself again.

Despite this discouragement, however, Geodude was taken out Torchic's persistent attacks, along with tiring itself out by using Rock Tomb so much.

Roxanne seemed to be on edge, now, and it gave me _hope_. "Nosepass, go!" the Gym Leader announced. In a flash of light, a strange, red-and-blue, statue-like Pokemon shaped like a… nose? Yes… a nose, I realized, materialized in front of her. I quickly, and discreetly, scanned it with the Pokedex.

"_Nosepass, the Compass Pokemon. Nosepass had been said to be completely unmoving, with its magnetic nose pointed due north. However, close observation has revealed that the Pokemon actually moves by a little over 3/8 of an inch every year._"

_This must be her trump card,_ I thought to myself warily. _Don't let me down, Torchic…!_

"Rock Tomb!"

_Again?!_ I thought, practically crushing the Pokedex in my hand out of shock. _You've gotta be kidding me!_

Smaller – and sharper – rocks were flung towards Torchic, taking both of us by surprise. _So, this Pokemon is more experienced?_ I narrowed my eyes. The Fire-type barely dodged them and collapsed right next to Nosepass in the process.

"Now, hit it with Tackle!" She then announced, and the Pokemon turned to throw itself quite literally nose-first towards Torchic.

I panicked. The way Nosepass moved… _It must be way heavier than it looks, which means a Tackle would…_ "…Scratch! Get up, Torchic!"

Torchic's little eyes flew open, and it held up both its feet just in time to _catch_ the Rock-type in midair. I grinned. "Now, hit it with Ember!"

The Pokemon opened its beak, breathing out the flames right into Nosepass's face.

"What?!" came an anguished cry from the other side of the Gym.

Excitement flowed through me and my voice came out much louder than I'd expected. "Now, use-" I stopped myself, noticing something weird about Torchic. Its beak was… glowing? Without a command, the Pokemon then drove its face into Nosepass's, who still hadn't managed to escape my Pokemon's grasp.

"Nosepass!" Though mainly worried, Roxanne's voice also seemed to hold a tinge of enthusiasm.

Gawking, I opened my Pokedex. Sure enough, a new attack name popped up next to the image of Torchic; Peck, a Flying-type move. I looked back up, only to be surprised again. All of Torchic's little body was now glowing white. I gasped. _Is this one of Nosepass's attacks?!_

Roxanne was no longer despairing, and instead had one thick eyebrow raised in fascination. She placed one hand on her hip and began twisting a lock of her chestnut hair in the other. "Well, this is quite the sight…! May, your Torchic is…"

The light faded, revealing a larger, more humanoid-like Pokemon covered with yellow and orange feathers. Instead of Torchic's puny wings, it boasted two long, muscular, clawed arms. Beady, shining eyes changed into flaming ones narrowed in anger, and the talons that Nosepass was still held securely in had each grown to the size of my own foot, if not bigger.

_Evolution…!_ I grinned. _Torchic is…_

"_Combusken, the Young Fowl Pokemon, and the evolved form of Torchic. Combusken battles with the intensely hot flames it spews from its beak and outstandingly destructive kicks. This Pokemon's cry is very loud and distracting."_

I looked up from the Pokedex I had subconsciously whipped out, admiring Torchic's new form.

"_KR-AA!" _came a wicked cry from the battlefield.

I skimmed through the rest of the Pokedex's entry for Combusken; it was part Fighting-type, part Fire, and had most of Torchic's previous moves, along with a fourth one to match its new-and-improved talons: Double Kick.

"…Double Kick, Combusken!" I called out after I'd found my voice again. The new name would take some getting used to.

The rowdy Pokemon responded with the same fire as before, tossing Nosepass backwards and then charging right at it. Like some kind of acrobat, Combusken landed two kicks from each foot into the Rock-type, and following that there was a loud cracking noise.

The seconds dragged on and for a while the only moving thing in the room seemed to be the freshly evolved Fire-type, bouncing from foot to foot. I had to remember to breathe. The silence was broken by Roxanne's Pokemon falling over sideways, defeated.

Time slowed down as I gradually realized what had just happened. Not only had Torchic evolved, but… I'd _beat_ my first gym…!? A moment later, the beat-up, tattered Combusken was hugging my legs and squawking triumphantly. It beamed up at me with its new face, and, combined with the bubble of reassurance I felt from the win, I was more or less forced to let out a big laugh to go with its cries of victory.

"Well, I lost… That's alright, though, I suppose I have some more studying to do." Roxanne approached me coolly, her clogs clicking against the floor of the battlefield. "Please accept this Stone Badge, Trainer May, on behalf of the Pokemon League, and me."

I took the little trinket in the girl's hands after a moment of hesitation. It was a dirty color, but despite this shone beautifully in the stadium lights and reminded me faintly of a gold medal – though that was probably just the thrill of victory. "I… Thank you…!"

She explained that it would increase my Pokemon's abilities, as well as my own power, and then handed me the TM for Rock Tomb - I was so overcome with pride that I only heard half of what she said.

"You should go and challenge the other Gym Leaders," she advised once I recalled the little Fighting-type. "It can teach you lots of new things, about Pokemon and yourself, like this fight did."

I nodded in understanding. "The next one is in…"

"I recommend Brawly, of Dewford Town, next." She scoffed at this and turned away, and I could have sworn her lips had curled up slightly as though she were holding back a laugh.

_Dewford,_ I thought, scribbling the word into a random page in my journal. _Okay. That's where I'm headed next, then…!_

With another formal thank-you to Roxanne, I left the gym.


	6. Aqua and Devon

**A/N: **I'd recommend checking out this acoustic version of Rustboro's theme on youtube called "_Rustboro City Guitar Cover_" while reading, it's really good

**EDIT 8/10 - **Also went in and fixed up this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Team Aqua Appears! The President of Devon Corporation, Mr. Stone**

I had started making my way over to the Pokemon Center, intending to get Poochyena and Wingull healed as soon as I could, when something – someone – had to interrupt me.

"Outta the way, get out of the way!"

That gruff voice was _strangely _familiar. Pausing, I moved towards the curb of the sidewalk.

"Move, dammit!" It was closer now – right behind me, in fact, and I barely ducked to the side in time as someone hurtled past me.

Sure enough, a burly man dressed in a blue and white outfit, with unruly dark hair, was trucking his way down the sidewalk, shoving both businessmen and trainers out of his path. I frowned; there was something suspicious (and familiar?) in his arms. Like a bus gone out of control, the man swerved to the left, knocking over a few pedestrians onto the busy street in his wake, and disappeared down another alley. Thankfully, he didn't spot me.

I blinked, and looked back at where he'd come from. Another man was shoving through the crowd as well, though the noises he was making were more like apologetic whimpers than anything else.

"Hold on! Hold on! Wait! Give them back, please!" he cried, panting as he scurried after the man dressed in aqua blue.

My jaw dropped. That was… _The man from Petalburg Woods! The... Devon employee?! What's he doing?_

One of my Pokeballs broke itself open, and suddenly a very upset Combusken was standing at my side, pulling me in the same direction as the two men that just ran off went. "Hold on, Combusken! I-I haven't even gone to the Pokemon Center yet!"

The Pokemon chirped as if saying _it_ was perfectly okay to battle and continued pulling on my shin with its dark claws. I tilted my head at its noises, and then said, "Fine. Just let me drop off the other two, then."

"_Kraa!_"

We hurried down a few blocks, into the Pokemon Center. I practically threw the Great Ball and Pokeball on the main desk, earning a confused look from the woman standing there.

"Um-"

"Thank you, Nurse Joy!" I called, running through the automatic glass doors without any explanation. There was no _time_. _That Aqua guy is dangerous! What is the Devon guy doing, going after him?!_

Combusken and I both pushed through crowds of people; it was one of the busiest hours for the city, and everyone was out getting their lunch, making it all the more difficult for us to get to the northern end, where the two men had ran off to. Student, businessman, and trainer alike all cast glares of irritation in my direction as I zipped past them. To make things even more hectic and clustered, policemen were all rushing in the same direction I was, by car, bike, and foot.

Eventually, I swung around a corner onto an empty, rather desolate road bordering the north end of Rustboro and slipped through a throng of chattering officers to find the same businessman, slouched over in despair on the curb. After a second he seemed to notice me, and his eyes lit up. "Trainer! You're that trainer!"

I shifted as he approached me, trying to catch my breath. "What happened now?"

"Please, trainer, you have to help me! Team Aqua robbed me – no, t-they robbed Devon Corporation! – right in the middle of the city! I-I should have stopped this from happening... A-and the police have no leads – he disappeared onto Route 116, and even if they found him, they told me they can't accuse 'Team Aqua' of anything unless they have proof they've done something wrong, and, oh, even then it'd be controversial, and… oh, man, I'm going to be in so much trouble if I don't get those Devon Goods back, I…"

I wasn't exactly looking to play hero, but the man was practically having a mid-life crisis right in front of me, and Combusken was extra antsy. It stomped at my feet and tugged at my shorts as if it were beckoning me to join it in a… what was this? A police chase? _I'm just a girl!_ I bit my lip.

"I'll get them back, sir. Don't worry," I told him in the most stable voice I could muster, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. It was a little awkward, as he was much taller than me, but the gesture at least ceased his shaking.

"Thank youuu~!" he cried as Combusken and I marched onto Route 116, heads held high. "It's all up to you now, trainer!"

* * *

The brush at my feet thickened as the distance between Rustboro and I increased. The cityscape rapidly died down, until the only buildings left were the occasional backwoods cabins here or there, and instead of skyscrapers, massive trees crisscrossed with vines and ivy stretched up towards the afternoon sky, tinting everything in a shade of yellow-green. The shrill chirps and peeps of insects, rustling of leaves, and the _crunch, crunch _coming from each step I took through the earthy trail all prevented me from being able to clearly hear any nearby voices, but Combusken appeared to be on the right track.

_I know it's not safe to have only one Pokemon at my side, especially if... this whole thing ends up being bigger than I think, but... No, I don't have time to worry about that... Not with 'Team Aqua' _robbing_ people. _I glanced upwards and let out a tired sigh. _Rustboro seemed like a practically crime-less city, too…_

There were a number of trainers in my way that attempted to challenge me, but I told them I would have to battle later due to the situation and all but a few understood.

After an hour or so of strenuous hiking, a huge mountain of stone rose from the horizon all of the sudden, jutting out from the sea of vegetation, and the bright, bleached color of the rock was highly conspicuous – how had I not spotted it before? I brushed away a curtain of brambles and raised my eyebrows, staring. Combusken was equally shocked, as well, taking a step backwards; we hadn't seen anything like this from Route 116 or Rustboro. How far away from the city _was_ this…?

Carved into a nearby chunk of the stone was a crevice roughly around the size of a person. It was definitely man-made. I hadn't spotted a man resembling the Team Aqua thug at all on the way here, and there wasn't a single smudge of the his blue outfit in the landscape of prairie and rock stretched out around me. Anxiety started to well up inside me. What if they got away? Or worse, what if they were waiting somewhere, in hiding, to ambush me? _Geh, what are you thinking, May? There's only one of them. 'Team Aqua's is probably just some kind of wimpy teenage gang that eggs people's houses. …Yeah, that's it._

I looked to Combusken, who was starting towards the entrance to the cave on its own, and continued after it.

Closer up to the cave's entrance was a frail old man. His eyebrows were bunched together, and though his mouth was hidden by his puffy white mustache it was clear a sorrowful frown hid beneath it. "Oh, Peeko, what do I do, what do I do…?"

"Is something wrong?" I inquired as I stopped before him.

He peered at me, squinting as though his eyesight was going, and nodded. "Oh, me and Peeko were on a walk, when we were jumped, lass!" his sailor-like accent betrayed his senile appearance. "They took her right out of me arms!" He began roaring with fury, all the while crying his eyes out, which was a little unusual.

_Still, the fact that this 'Team Aqua' would go so far as to mug and elderly couple…_

I exchanged a wary look with Combusken and stepped into the darkness flowing from the crevice.

The cave was much less roomy inside than it appeared to be from the Route; that was the first thing I noticed. If anything, it was more of a tunnel. I hardly had enough room to walk beside Combusken without tripping over the stubby Pokemon. There was still a fair amount of light, though, illuminating the soupy mist that swept around my feet and chilled my neck. Each of my steps created a long echo that sent shivers up my spine and gave me the feeling that I must've been waking _something_ up. I wandered about for a bit, still keeping my ears open, finding a few items, and noticed that only one kind of Pokemon inhabited the cave. They were weird, round, lavender things, that would scurry behind boulders or into crevices when Combusken and I would get near them. I pulled out my Pokedex, curious.

"_Whismur, the Whisper Pokemon. Whismur is very timid. If it starts to cry loudly, it becomes startled by its own crying and cries even harder. When it finally stops crying, the Pokemon goes to sleep, all tired out."_

"Cute," I mused to myself, "And a Normal-type. I wonder if Dad's caught any of these… Maybe I should…"

"Huh?! You again, kid? You wanna go?"

The grimy voice shattered my train of thought and I spun around in a panic to find where it had come from. _T-there's no way he's been in here the whole time! I haven't heard a thing…! _In the faint light I quickly made out the image of the Team Aqua thug from Rustboro, hunched over with a sealed package hefted under one arm. Next to him was a Wingull, though its normally outstretched wings were hastily bound together.

I took a step forward, steeling myself.

He turned to the Pokemon, kicking it lightly to the side. The poor thing fell over, unable to balance itself. The man then retreated back a few steps, grumbling, "Tch, what a useless hostage. And this tunnel! Who digs one out only to leave a dead end?!"

I stepped closer to the man, raising my voice. "Please, give me the Devon Goods."

He laughed in spite of his frustration with the setting. "Give you them? Your voice is shaking, y'know! And what if I don't?!" The same Poochyena from before crawled out from a crack in the mass of boulders behind the man, its fur spiked up and teeth bared.

I frowned, meeting the man's gaze, and then barked, "Combusken, go!"

He, of course, called for his Poochyena once more. The little Dark-type had grown significantly, but Combusken had grown more – the Fighting-type strafed back and forth with ease as its opponent launched a flurry of tackles and bites. I was surprised, myself. Torchic's power was nothing compared to this. But at the same time, Combusken almost seemed like it didn't know how to _control_ its new strength, and its battle style was sloppy – no thanks for the clumsy, big talons, of course.

However, with two solid Double Kicks, we were able to pull through. A wave of relief washed away any anxiety left in me as the Aqua man's pup fell from the indent in the tunnel wall its impact had created and collapsed into the dampness in a heap.

"Damn it! The boss told me stealing this stupid Devon package would be easy!" he cursed as he recalled the fainted Pokemon, the click of the ball echoing through the cavern. Two beady, furious orbs met mine, no longer heated with arrogance but instead, with pure animosity. "You'll see, kid. Team Aqua's a lot bigger and a lot stronger than whatever you think! I'm gonna tell the boss about you and he's gonna... he's... he'll do _something_!"

I narrowed my eyes. "Team Aqua… Why are you stealing from Devon Corporation? Give me back the stolen goods!"

He only flashed his teeth in a grin before pushing past me. The Devon Goods were thrown onto the ground – unfortunately landing right in a murky puddle. Combusken growled, but with one foot I held the aggressive Pokemon back.

"None of your business, babe! As far as you know, we're just a…" he turned around, making a sarcastically-worried expression, eyes curling in humor, and enunciated his next words: "'Simple nonprofit environmental activism group!' Hahaha! Or whatever it was those news peoples calls us."

I frowned. _Activism…? What? The news… 'Team Aqua' has enough attention to be featured on the news? Just who are they…?_

Before I knew it, I was alone in the cavern with my Pokemon and my own muddled thoughts. Combusken was communicating with the Wingull in a series of squawks, and I hurried over to help undo the ropes firmly tied around its wings. Then there were more footsteps, and I braced myself – _he didn't call for backup, did he?! –_ only to realize that they were slower, and lighter. The mist cleared a little, and from around the corner the old man from Route 116 emerged. He waddled right past me and pulled the Wingull into his arms.

"Peeko, my Peeko, you're alright!" he cooed, running a wrinkled hand along the Pokemon's back.

The Wingull responded with a chirp, and its unbound wings flapped in glee.

"Thank you so much!" The man turned to me, glowing.

"Um." I blinked. "This is 'Peeko'? You mean, it was a Pokemon?"

He nodded, and his lips rose into a small, relieved smile, softening his otherwise weathered face. "Aye! Peeko has been here with me since me days as an admiral!"

I deadpanned. _Admiral?_

"So what is the savior of Peeko here called?"

"…May," I told him in a level tone. "And you're welcome, it was no problem."

He shook my hand gratefully and patted me on the shoulder. "Well, I'm known as Mr. Briney! I have a cottage on the sea on Route 104, next to Petalburg, so if ye need any assistance, don't hesitate to ask!"

I smiled. "Thank you, sir."

"Come on, then, Peeko!"

And so, the weary Mr. Briney and his trusty Peeko started out of the cave. _A captain, huh… cottage on the sea… Then, maybe…_

* * *

"Here you go!"

I was handed another Great Ball by the ever-so-thankful Devon employee. Were those… tears in his eyes?

"Thank you _so_ much for getting me back the Devon Goods, oh! My job is saved! Devon is saved!" He wiped his eyes on his sleeve. I made a face. "You're such a great trainer, you know that? Oh, by the way, please, come with me back to the office building! My boss just _has_ to meet you in person, after what you've done for us!"

An uneasy sigh escaped my lips. It was getting late and my Pokemon were probably all healed up by now back at the center, but I didn't want to be rude, so I followed the businessman into the beautiful Devon building, all the way up to the top floor, which he explained was where Devon Corporation's president was. The stairway was sleek and modern, much like the rest of the area, and suddenly I felt very out of place. Nervously, I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. We paused at the top of the stairs, and he turned to me with a big grin.

"Anyways, can you do us a favor, and take those Devon Goods straight to Slateport City's Shipyard?" he inquired, tucking his hands in the pockets of his green suit. The man appeared much more at ease in this setting, nothing like the quivering mess he'd been in the woods. "A man named Stern needs them. They'll be so much safer if a capable trainer like you is delivering them! Plus, Aqua would never expect someone like you to be carrying such a precious item!"

I practically fell over in exasperation. _Geez, these business people don't quit, do they?!_ "Sure, I'll probably be in Slateport City at one point or another soon, anyways," came my reply on its own. In my mind, I was banging my head against the wall next to me, which had some beautiful wallpaper with an ornate pattern on it. I didn't even know where Slateport City _was, _and if it didn't have a Gym, who knows if I'd even pass through there? All I knew was that it was a major coastal city, and it was where we first disembarked from the boat we took from Johto.

The employee beamed, and then disappeared behind a corner, telling me to wait. _This is getting a little ridiculous…_

"Yes! She saved me from Team Aqua in Petalburg, sir! Yea, the Devon Goods have been secured, thanks to…"

I could only catch bits and pieces of what he was saying in the other room; the carpeting and walls muffled the rest. I continued to listen in, absently walking over to a display case and eyeing the contents. _Wow... are these all stones...? They're beautifu-_ _w__ait… is he talking to.. t-the president of Devon?! _I gulped and took a step backwards. …_Huh? Huuuuh?! Hang on a second!_

In a heartbeat the employee was back in the side room, telling me that the President wanted to have a word with me.

I almost threw up. "U-uhh, I'm not really, you know, in the right… clothes, for something like this?!" I told him with a wave of my hand, looking at my casual, beat up outfit and messy hair and my general complete lack of formality, not to mention Combusken was still-

"It's fine, it's fine!" the older businessman coaxed, pushing me towards the door. "He's used to people like you, anyways! Come on, don't be shy! You're a hero, that's what you are!"

"Used to? What- Oh! Mr. President, sir." The employee disappeared, shutting the door behind me. I found myself standing in a medium-sized office that just screamed luxury; there were paintings, along with photographs both color and black and white, hanging on the walls, hiding behind detailed, silver frames, and the wallpaper – it was like nothing I'd ever seen, like a single panorama photograph of some kind of mountain range, and on the wall opposite to me was a magnificent palladian window that looked out over Devon's courtyard and the rest of Rustboro City.

Combusken, of course, began wandering around the room as though it were already uninterested. I hesitantly met the President's gaze – he was seated in a huge, old-fashioned leather chair in front of the window – and gulped.

"Greetings, Trainer. I'm Mr. Stone, the President of the Devon Corporation." He stated, carrying a fairly deep voice to accompany his gruff appearance. His hair color was of a similar shade to my own father's, but there were more than a few gray streaks here and there, and atop his head was a white fedora. If someone were not to recognize the man by his appearance, the nametag reading 'MR. STONE' neatly attached to his pinstripe lavender suit would surely give his position away. On his face was a disarmingly kind smile. "You are quite the amazing trainer! What was your name again?"

I was taken aback, and looked around the room as though I'd find a response to the question hidden in the mahogany bookshelves or the deep scarlet carpeting. I could feel sweat starting to dampen the back of my shirt "T-thanks. I… My name's… May."

"Well, I'd hate to ask another favor of you, May," he added, chuckling a little, "but I heard you are headed to Slateport City."

"Oh, uh, yup! To the Shipyard." _How did I even remember that?! _I was even more nervous, now. I had no intention of going to Slateport, at least not until I knew where in Hoenn it was, and yet, I was promising such a large corporation a favor…!? _Why can't he just give me a wad of cash and be done with it?!_ Not that I really _wanted_ any, but… it would have been nice, anyways…

He nodded. "Well, since you'll probably pass by Dewford Town on the way there, I'd appreciate it if you delivered a letter to a person named Steven; he's somewhere in that area, right around now."

"Oh," I replied. _So, I'm delivering mail, too, now…_ "Okay." I cursed my inability to turn down his request as Mr. Stone handed me the letter, sealed in an envelope made of some sort of high-quality stationery. I took it, holding it as delicately as possible as though it were worth my entire life savings. "I'm going to Dewford, anyways, to challenge the Gym, s-so this shouldn't be too out-of-the-way."

The President smiled once more. "Of course – the gym challenge. Oh, and to repay you for your efforts, of course – here."

I was handed another item by Mr. Stone; this time it was an electronic, looking somewhat like the Pokedex, though orange, and a bit larger. Feeling a flutter of excitement and gratitude in my chest, I rolled the device around in my hand. "…Thank you, sir. What is it?"

"A Pokenav," responded the president matter-of-factly. "A Pokemon Navigator. It's made especially for trainers, by Devon, and has all sorts of special features, such as a phone and a virtual map – in case you need help getting around the Hoenn region! I am surprised you haven't heard of it already, being a trainer of your age!"

_Oh, no! He can tell I don't know how to get around here, just by looking at me?! Was it really that obvious?_

"May, was it?"

"Yes," I chirped.

Mr. Stone chuckled once more and held his hand out. "Well, good luck! As a corporation looking to further the Pokemon trainer experience, you are our target audience, of course. Oh, and make sure you give me a call on the Pokenav when you leave; it's a newer model, and frankly, I'd like to test if it is working properly…!" I shook his hand, too nervous, even, to wipe the sweat from it, and gave him the sweetest smile I could summon up before turning to leave.

"And May," he called in drastically more serious tone as I was stepping out from the room. My head creaked back around.

"…Yes, President?"

I had a bad feeling swelling in my gut about what he was about to say.

His chair swiveled around the window, so that he wasn't facing me, and the sunlight glaring through the window cast his long shadow across the room. "I've heard about those two criminal groups running around and doing all sorts of suspicious things… Team Aqua and Team Magma…"

I grimaced; it was exactly what I thought he was going to bring up. _Magma? There are two…?_ "Yeah, they… were the ones that stole from your company…?"

"Be wary of them on your travels, May. I wouldn't recommend getting any further involved with them..." My eyes flicked downwards. "And, of course, make sure you rest up before you leave! Devon Corporations will always welcome you! If only there were more young people like you, today..." The last part was noticeably more positive than the whole warning about Team Aqua and Team Magma, almost like he didn't want to stay on that subject. But I understood. Both 'Teams' sounded bigger than I'd first expected them to be.

* * *

After saying another thanks, Combusken and I left the office. It was late, by now, and I settled on going back to the Pokemon Center for rest – the journey to Dewford could wait a day. Combusken went marching ahead down the stairs, but I paused, taking one last look at the room. It wasn't very cluttered, like I'd expect a big corporation's main conference area to be; in fact, the only decorative items appeared to be those stones placed inside a bunch small glass cases. Curious, I wandered over and took another look. They sparkled, even in the dim lighting, and were a variety of colors. Bug-eyed, I gawked at a few I recognized – evolutionary stones!

_Wait a second, this is really suspicious, isn't it? _I thought to myself, and I hurried after Combusken.

Even as I made my way back to the ground floor, the few researchers left in Devon went out of their way to thank me, or tell me I was always welcome there, or just smile in my direction, or _even_ to tell me that they'd be there if I ever needed help. Much to my own surprise, I felt… _proud_ of what I'd done. _Even if it wasn't that much..._

I ran my fingers over the sleek surface of the Pokenav as we made our way outside, and grinned. It would _definitely_ come in handy. Excitedly, I then reached into my pocket and pulled out a strip of paper with the phone numbers of my parents, as well as Birch, on it, and registered them in the Match Call app. _Oh, that's right… The president, _I thought, clicking on the pre-installed contact reading "MR. STONE."

"…Hello?"

"Hi, Mr. President. I'm just calling to let you know the Pokenav is working." Talking to such a man was admittedly much easier when it wasn't face-to-face.

"Oh, May! Well, then, that's good, ha ha ha! You seem to like it!" came his jolly voice from the other end, and I blinked in surprise.

"How-"

He chortled. "I can see you from my window, up here!"

I furrowed my brow as I looked back up the side of the building to try and find the arched window of Mr. Stone's office, to no avail – the setting sun created one hell of a blinding glare.

"Ohohoho! Well, 'best of luck' on your journeys, as my son would say. Devon thanks you again. Goodbye!"

I closed the Pokenav, more or less speechless that this was the same man running an enterprise.

* * *

The moon was high in the sky when we, at long last, returned to the Pokemon Center, and Rustboro was glittering with amber lights no matter which direction you looked in. I retrieved my other two Pokemon from the nurse and handed over a ball holding Combusken, before answering a few questions about my Gym challenge - apparently, Roxanne hadn't lost to a challenging trainer in quite some time now, so it was a big surprise to the Rustboro residents who were in on the battle scene.

"Oh! You beat Roxanne, huh?"

Something jolted up my spine. _That voice is…_

"And cool, you have a Pokenav now, too! Let's register each other, already!"

Brendan, complete with his big obnoxious sock-hat, ran up to me, whipping out his own Pokenav. I smirked inwardly at the fact that it seemed to be an older model, and agreed to the idea.

As I clicked my number into his Pokenav, he started babbling again: "So, I just caught, like, a ton of Pokemon in Petalburg Woods! My Pokedex is filling up! How about yours? Oh, by the way – you probably don't know already – but Mr. Briney? He's this old sailor guy that always has this Wingull, Peeko, perched on his shoulder. Yeah, I ran into him just a lil' while ago. I think he'd be a good way to head across the sea to Dewford."

"Yeah," I replied blankly, "I saw him earlier. He's a pretty interesting old man."

Brendan looked a little dissatisfied with my response, but I could hardly help it, considering how exhausted I was. My eyelids flicked as though trying to close while I was still standing and conscious. Frankly, I didn't want to tell him about my experience with Aqua or Devon Co. at all. _For all I know, my dad could find out if I told Brendan, _I thought with a shiver. _Boy, that's not a fun thing to think about..._

"Anyways, I'm pretty tired-" I yawned mid-sentence, "-so… I'm going to go get some sleep. Tell Professor Birch I said hi, though."

I sauntered off, leaving a dejected Brendan there with Nurse Joy, who was giggling along.

"Wh- huh!? Hey, hey, what's with that air of superiority, May?!"

* * *

**A/N: ** May's view on Aqua here: she's really tentative to get into the whole thing at first, but the whole in-between-the-lines thing with Mr. Stone is that he realizes that it's probably already too late for her/she's already on Aqua's radar. Anyway, I don't want to spoil anything else, so yeah. (what is there to spoil in a game that came out 12 years ago tho)


	7. Dewford

**A/N:** I want to take a moment and point out a _really_ good fic that this chapter and Chapter 8 may unintentionally have a few nods to, by xXsapphireheartXx, _Heroes of Hoenn_! I read it well over a year ago (around 2012) without realizing it hadn't been updated since 2010 orz – I loved their take on Brawly. The Dewford chapter made me laugh way more than I should have.

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Cross the Sea to Dewford Town, 'The Trendiest Place in Hoenn'!?**

_Bzzt! Bzzt!_

A calloused hand reached out and picked up a phone.

"_Sir, this is Amber… Reporting in as instructed… Twenty-two hundred."_

The owner of the telephone rested his feet atop his desk and sat back in his chair. "Eh? That's good. So?"

"_…There's… been a slight slip-up in my plan of action – the operation in Petalburg Woods did not go as planned, but rest assured, I've created a back-up plan."_

"Back-up plan…"

The voice on the other line quivered. "_S-sir, I assure you it was only coincidental. It won't happen again. I'm sending reinforcements as we speak."_

"I'm not pissed, Amber. I'll leave this up to you, then."

"_Sir."_

The line went blank, and with a sigh, the man hung up the phone. He gazed out the window to the right of his desk – though it was dark, the moon was bright enough to show off the ocean stretching out around him. His mouth distorted into a frown as he spotted what seemed to be a whaling vessel floating not too far away.

_Disgusting, _he thought, and stormed out of his quarters into the dark corridors beyond.

* * *

"_KRAAAA!_"

I jolted awake, and, in one amazing move, fell out of bed and onto the floor, landing on my loud, squawking Combusken. "Wh-what the… _Ahg_! What time is it, Combusken!"

It chirped and pulled itself out from under me. I reached into my bag that was hanging on the headboard and pulled out the shiny, new Pokenav.

"Six in the morning…" I muttered sleepily. "You're too mean, you stupid bird…"

_"Busken! Combusken!"_

I gathered my belongings, tied my bandana back around my wild hair, and hurried out of the Pokemon Center, clipping the Pokenav to my bag's waistband_. It's still dark out._ _Lovely. _We did have a long travel ahead of us, though, hoping to get to Mr. Briney's sea cottage by noon. I was aiming to get to Dewford as soon as possible, not only because I hungered for my second Gym badge, but because I wasn't sure how long this Steven man would be there for – and I didn't want to have to call up Mr. Stone saying I failed to deliver his message. Combusken ran on ahead of me, bouncing in exuberance, and I followed with much less enthusiasm.

A thick, early morning fog hovered just above the ground, reluctantly avoiding my feet as I waded through it. The city itself was dead silent, at this hour. The morning birds had not yet awoken, nor had the businessmen that usually lined the cobblestone streets. It wasn't eerie in the least, though; the air was warm, which made the gentle breeze all the more refreshing. I was tempted to stop at a café and wait for it to open, so we'd at least get a _proper_ breakfast, for once, but Combusken was surprisingly eager to move on.

By the time we reached the southern exit of the town, many streetlights were flickering out, and the sky was turning a calm, easing shade of pale.

* * *

We trekked back across upper Route 104, through Petalburg Woods – which was much easier to traverse downhill than uphill – and eventually were knocking on the door of the sea cottage we'd eaten lunch just a few days prior. I sighed and brushed my bangs out of my eyes. It was hot out, now, and the sun was inching closer and closer to the top of the sky.

"Oh!" The door slid open. "It's Ms. May! Isn't it, Peeko?!"

Mr. Briney, seeming more energetic than ever, gave me a radiant smile. Peeko flew up and landed on his shoulder, squawking what I guessed was a greeting.

"Hi, Mr. Briney," I greeted, clinging to the hope that he'd be able to transport me to Dewford.

"What can I do for ye?"

I glanced back over the bay, taking note of a medium-sized boat parked next to a rickety old pier. "Well, I was wondering… Dewford Town is south of here, right? M-my next Gym battle's there, you see, so… If you don't mind…"

The old man was already out the door and sprinting towards his boat, little Peeko in trail. I stared, wide-eyed. "What are we waiting for?! Set sail for Dewford Town! Let's go, Peeko dear!"

_Ah, I feel tired just being around this guy. _I climbed aboard, immediately grabbing hold of a railing. Boats and me did not go together well. Combusken looked even more uncomfortable, though, and started cawing in agony once we set sail – the boat moved surprisingly fast. When the Pokemon began to squawk louder, I called it back into its Pokeball.

The wind was nice, nonetheless; it wasn't as brutally cold as the kind of ocean breeze you'd get sailing in Olivine City. My hair was tossed in every direction as I gazed out across the water, and I felt the corners of my mouth lift themselves into a smile.

The open ocean was dotted with little sand bars and islands here and there, and a combination of swimmers and Pokemon trainers bobbed up and down with the glittering waves. Some of them moved out of the boat's path, while others shouted out friendly greetings to Briney, and some even approached the vehicle so as to ride in its wake.

Suddenly, I became aware of a faint ringing noise interrupting the sound of the crashing waves, and realized it was my Pokenav. I pulled it from its place on my belt and flipped it open. _A… Phone call?_

"Hello?" I called loudly so as to talk over the roar of the waves and the engine.

"Huh, is that you, May?" came my dad's voice from the other end. "Where are you? It must be awfully windy there!"

"…Oh! Uh, hi, Dad. I'm heading over to Dewford Town right now. I'm on the water."

"Ah, is that so? That's good. Gotten over your fear of boating, huh? Mr. Stone just called me and told me about your new Pokenav."

I swallowed nervously, switching the phone to my other hand. _Mr. Stone…? Did he… tell him about… My run-in with Team Aqua, too, then? I hope not. _Please _don't tell me he did…_

"I don't know how on earth you managed to get on good terms with a man like that, but whatever the case is, I'm glad you seem to be making progress. Well, take care, now, and good luck fighting Brawly. If you can, head to Slateport after you beat him, and pick up some souvenirs for your mother…!"

"Oh, okay. I'll do that, Dad." _…_

"Anyways, if you're doing alright, then that's fine with me. Talk to you soon."

"Sounds good. Bye, Dad."

_Click._

I carefully secured the Pokenav back on my belt and let out a tremendous breath of relief. _Good… I can't have my dad knowing about that whole Aqua thing._ I sighed, feeling a little guilty, but it was for his own good – and _mine_. _Mr. Stone really knows what he's doing._

* * *

It was around 2 in the afternoon – and unbelievably hot – when we made landing at Dewford Town. With its size, it was much more like a village, built entirely on what I could only describe as the _epitome _of a tropical beach, and beyond it was a jungle that stretched out into the horizon. The sand was a creamy white, and the town itself looked clean and well-looked after. Along the shore, there were crowds of people, a mix of elderly couples and younger partygoers, maybe around my age, having fun and dancing and what-not. Behind me, the water lazily basked in the sun, with a few larger waves rolling about here and there.

I hopped off the boat, grateful to be on land again. Combusken popped out of its Pokeball and stretched along with me.

"Well, here we are in Dewford!" said Mr. Briney, appearing beside me. Peeko chirped happily, lifting itself from its master's shoulders and gliding around the boat. _It must like it here, _I thought, chuckling to myself. "Righto, you were going to take that letter from Mr. Stone to, err… Steven, his name was, right? Take yer time, lass! I'll be waiting here!"

I nodded. "Okay. Thank you, Mr. Briney!"

* * *

Dewford was a quaint little area. There were buildings here and there, along with nice-looking shacks that I realized were beach houses, but it wasn't bustling, like a city or a port. There was good amount of nature mixed in between buildings, too, from sand dunes to rock faces to exotic trees. The wind was still strong, what with how close the ocean was, but it could be refreshing, should you be out in the sun for a while.

Combusken ran right into the dunes and began playing, and I released out my other two Pokemon, letting them enjoy the nice weather as well, before turning towards the crowds of people on the beach and resting my hands on my hips.

_Alright… I'm looking for two people, now. Steven, and Brawly. I can't really imagine the Gym Leader would be cooped up in his gym on a day like today… But, at the same time, if this Steven guy works for Devon, I can't see him hanging out on the beach with a bunch of young… fratboys._

And sure enough, I was right – about Brawly, at least. As I stood there in contemplation, a bunch of people dressed in swimsuits zipped past me, making for the water, blathering in excitement. I narrowed my eyes. _What are they all worked up about, I wonder…?_ One guy pushed me right out of the way, and I almost fell face-first into the sand. _Hey, watch it…!_

"He's here!"

"Here he comes!" they shouted in glee.

Now my interest was piqued. I wandered away from my Pokemon, following the crazed teenagers. _…He?_

I half expected "him" to be some kind of shallow, cool, beach-boy surfer-dude idolized by all the girls in Dewford, and I was partly right. They began pointing out into the ocean, calling out, clapping, and cheering. I squinted and tried to get a glimpse at what they were looking at.

Sure enough, atop a humongous wave, was a well-built, younger guy, with spiky blue hair that blended in with the sky behind him, standing on a long surfboard. Perched on the back of the board was a small creature I guessed to be one of his Pokemon.

He slid across the tide perfectly, and I was more than a little impressed. Surfing was almost a foreign thing on the rocky coastline of Olivine, and often brought many casualties. The wave drew nearer, and I realized it was going to hit the shore right where everyone was standing. I backed up some – and just in time. With a roar and a crash, around fifteen people went flopping onto the ground, still cheering, and the guy hopped off his board, landing in the dry sand just a few feet in front of me. His Pokemon crawled up onto his shoulder.

"Yo," he greeted casually, in a deep voice I'd practically predicted him to have.

I blinked, and after a moment of hesitation, replied, "Um. Hi?"

The group of fans, which had finally recovered, stampeded up to the guy and crowded around him, making all sorts of noises.

"Brawly! I love you!"

"That was soo amazing, wow!"

"COOL!"

"Can I have your number?!"

I made a look of discomfort, and was about to turn and leave when something one of them had said hit me. _Brawly?_ I glanced back over my shoulder at the lean surfer who was now waving to all of his friends. The gears in my head began to turn, ever so slowly. _Then, he's…_

I swerved around, calling my Pokemon to my side. "Brawly?"

Confirming my suspicions, the blue-haired man glanced over at me with two bright, curious eyes. "Sup?"

"You're the Gym Leader of Dewford, right?" I questioned, trying to stay as professional as possible, even with his league of fans watching my every move. "I'd like to challenge you to a gym battle."

Something flashed in his blue eyes, and he smiled, looking back over the clique behind him. Hope sprung up in me, but unfortunately, it was short-lived.

"Haha, sorry, little blue," he chimed with a slanted grin. "I've got plans for the evening, but if you can lay low 'till tomorrow, that'd be rad."

I put on a polite smile, with much effort, and nodded. "That's okay. Thank you." _What the hell was that nickname? Geez, Dad would never slack off on his job _this_ much…!_ I furrowed my brow in frustration as soon as I was facing away from the crowd.

Brawly began lumbering back into the ocean, Pokemon in trail, and his followers chased after him once more when I remembered my other task.

"By the way," a few of them turned around, raising their eyebrows in interest. "I'm, umm... I'm looking for a man named Steven. He works with, uh, Devon Corporation, I think. Has anyone like that passed through here…?"

The group's eyes widened briefly stretching into wild grins. They cackled, like hyenas, giving me knowing glances now and then, until one of them finally forced out a "A 'Steven', huh? I haven't seen 'im, personally, no. But I can't imagine why someone like you would be looking for him."

I narrowed my eyes and frowned. "And why is that?"

It was too late, though; they'd lost interest and were now strutting back over to the shoreline, chattering to themselves in voices that could have been a little more hushed. A foul taste was left in my mouth, and I kicked up some sand before moving in the opposite direction.

My Pokemon and I headed towards the Pokemon Center. I was discouraged. I'd been planning on getting the Gym battle over with today, and finding Steven, at the latest, by tomorrow, and then getting on my way to Slateport, but unfortunately, it wasn't going to work out that way. Combusken tugged at my leg encouragingly.

"Alright, alright. We'll search for Steven, for now," I told it, pulling the envelope from my pocket and making my way to a nearby building.

* * *

The rest of the day, I went in each of the houses and talked to a good amount of people, none of which were named 'Steven', or even looked like they were associated with Devon Corporation. Most of the townspeople were easygoing natives, with tanned skin, messy hair, and half-open aloha shirts – those who weren't from around Dewford were vacationing. Additionally, those who did show a smidge of recognition when I mentioned the name Steven either had a reaction similar to the beach group's, or wildly questioned me on how I knew them and where he was.

Everyone in Dewford was very detached, just like Brawly, and seemed to not even care about anything outside their serene little society here on the island (Ironically, many trends and sayings used even in _Johto _were said to have originated here.) However, one family had told me that a friend of their friend's friend – or something weird like that – had spotted 'him' at some point earlier in the week, up at the northern peninsula of the island, so I didn't give up hope. They did seem awfully sure that it had been _Steven_ they'd seen, though, despite me giving no actual description of him.

The sun was setting as I stepped up to the door of a large building called 'Dewford Hall'; it was apparently the information center of the whole town. I snorted. _This is more like what I expect out of Hoenn._ The structure was larger than most of the buildings, and on the porch, there were a number of newspaper boxes, along with what seemed to be restaurant menus.

The wooden door swung open, practically hitting me in the face and giving me a number of memorable splinters in my nose.

"Hello! Have you heard of BEAUTIFUL EGG?"

There was suddenly a girl in front of me, yelling excitedly in my face.

"Um."

"BEAUTIFUL EGG," she repeated, sighing. "Gosh. I couldn't imagine life without BEAUTIFUL EGG."

I was speechless. Another girl, seated at a table, petted her Zigzagoon and told me, with a sigh, "I'm trying to teach my Pokemon about BEAUTIFUL EGG, but to be honest, it's not working!"

I narrowed my eyes. _Am I missing something? What the hell is wrong with these people? _I walked up to an older man, who seemed a little more _there_, and was about to ask him about Steven, when he told me, "This whole 'BEAUTIFUL EGG' thing… I think I was watching a television program about it, the other day."

I was completely baffled now. I glanced around the building; posters of movies, plays, and popular quotes were hung around me, some of which I'd heard of, and some, not so much. _Beautiful Egg? What does that even _mean_?_

"Yowza! I finally figured BEAUTIFUL EGG out, everyone!" shouted a middle-aged man with a big grin. "It has something to do with 'SPORTS', right?"

The other members of the Dewford Hall exchanged hesitant glances with each other. I was still lost. The man seemed to realize that, alas, he had not yet figured out the mysterious BEAUTIFUL EGG, and looked very crestfallen.

"Um…" I began, glancing around nervously. "I'm just wondering… if anyone in Dewford knows anything about a man named Steven, who works for Devon."

Lots of people opened their mouth to talk, but I continued before they could. "No, I don't care about this 'Beautiful Egg' trend."

A number of them looked away, disinterested.

"Steven? Well, you came at the right time!" said a man that should be out working, or being with his family, or _something_ other than sitting in some beach shack talking about nonsensical things…! "He arrived in town three days ago, and has been in Dewford Cave, north of here, the whole time, according to numerous sources."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

I hurried out, Combusken in tow, as the room erupted once more into conversation over more things I couldn't care less about.

"What an… interesting… place," I muttered to myself as I hiked along the tree line of the beach. Off to my right, the sand stretched outwards, eventually giving way to the water, and, even further out, sat a smaller island thick with trees and vegetation. The further north we headed, the fewer buildings there were, which I was particularly happy about, now that I had the location of that letter's recipient.

_I wonder what it says, _I thought to myself, running my gloved hands along the front of the envelope, knowing that I shouldn't open it. _Everyone seems to know this Steven guy, so he must be pretty important member of Devon._

After some time, we neared the northern shore, and, sure enough, off to the left was an immense rock face with a gaping crack running down the middle. It was easy to miss, despite its size. I nudged Combusken and hurried over the cave's entrance. A cold breeze wafted out from the crevice; it was unmistakably a much larger, and deeper, cave than Rusturf Tunnel. _Hopefully, it has some different Pokemon, though._

My Pokemon and I confidently stepped inside, only to find a man standing in our way, just a few yards from the entrance.

"Are you a trainer?"

"Yeah," I replied, wondering if this was 'Steven'. He looked more like your average backpacker to me, than a businessman. "This is Granite Cave, right?"

The man nodded. "That is so; however! If you do not have a source of light, or a Pokemon that knows Flash, I recommend you turn back; it gets very dark on the lower levels, so I'm directing newbie trainers back to Dewford to get the Knuckle Badge that lets them use the HM Flash outside of battle before allowing them to explore the cave, out of my own decency!"

I shut my eyes and ran my hand through my bangs, trying not to let myself get too frustrated. _It's okay. We'll just lay low and train the rest of the day… _"Well," I responded with a sigh, "have you at least seen a man walk in here… uhh…" _Damn it, I don't even know that this guy looks like…! _"…He works for Devon, I think, so maybe he was wearing a business suit…?"

The hiker scratched his stubbly chin, humming to himself. "Well, I did see a fellow wandering around further into the cave earlier this morning that was wearin' what I thought was a black suit, if that helps any. But he was a young man, that one was! No businessmen here!"

I wanted to slap myself. _Of course, he didn't even enter the cave today. The guy at the Dewford Hall said Steven arrived in town _yesterday_. This hiker guy probably has the wrong person… but… _"Okay, thank you, anyways."

We began the trek back into town, Combusken giving me a troubled look. "Tomorrow, we'll head in there," I told it. "Let's just practice for the gym battle, for now."

It seemed to understand, and bounded on ahead of me.

Because Combusken was a Fighting-type, I decided to let Wingull go up against it. Poochyena had a disadvantage against Fighting, so I kept it on the sidelines. The Makuhita Brawly had had with him didn't look very aggressive, but I was sure it had some kind of hidden strength. And why was he surfing with it? It wasn't a Water-type. Perhaps what was just some kind of rigorous training exercise, or something…

"_Bus-KEN!"_

I glanced upwards at the two fighting Pokemon; Combusken was running towards Wingull at full speed, readying a Double Kick, jumping, bringing its leg back…

Wait for it…

"Go, Wingull! Give it your strongest Water Gun!"

The Fire-type's face turned into one of shock as a blast of water sent it flying backwards.

"Now, Combusken, dig your claws into the sand and catch yourself!" I stood up, watching more intensely.

The Pokemon did as commanded, and, in midair, shoved one arm into the sand below it. Its feet then slammed into place on the ground, though in turn, Combusken looked disoriented.

"Good job, you two!" I called. The sun had set completely now, and the night sky once again stretched out above us. "Let's head back."

* * *

"Amber! You're back."

The male Team Aqua officer slunk into the office the rest of the way and shut the door behind him before bowing slightly to the larger man seated in front of him. "Sir."

The opposing man held out one hand, and coolly said, "The Devon Goods? What about them?"

He could not look directly at his superior; his beady eyes were instead glued at the porthole on the wall to his left, and the ocean beyond. It was a clear day, but nonetheless the water stirred as though a storm were brewing. "I still need more time, sir. The man I assigned to the job, you see… He- he wasn't fit for it. It is my mistake. I will take responsibility-"

"Why?"

His breath hitched in his throat and he felt his body lock up. Even for someone as rebellious, as outlawish, as him, disobeying a man such as his boss – it was unthinkable. His eyes crawled upwards, meeting the opposing man's-

"You do understand," he said in a level tone, "the kind of affect this has on Team Aqua's image. Team Magma is constantly on our trail, and we've already suffered so many defeats at the hands of that Devon's kid." He then sat back, pressing two fingers to his temple in thought. A thick, but well-kempt, beard wrapped around the frame of his face and his wide jawline, giving him an almost feral appearance. After another moment of quiet, he asked his subordinate: "It wasn't him this time, was it?"

The subordinate blinked, though his expression was still one of furious focus. "No. But it was an isolated incident – it wasn't the cops. A girl, the grunt told me. Trainer."

Silence engulfed the room again as the seated man dove into his thoughts. The poor subordinate prepared for the worst – he was already tense, having failed twice, and the way his boss was tapping his fingers on the table just drove him over the edge with anxiousness. _That girl…! And twice! Who does she think she is? I'll arrange a separate force, an undercover one – one that will find her, and wipe her out so that she won't tarnish our image further-_

"Unbelievable," he finally said. "It looks like I'll have to step in, to avoid pushovers ruining the plan any further…"

The subordinate shifted.

The man then addressed him. "Find out who the Goods're being delivered to. No doubt they're part of the shipbuilding team, but I need a name. Then, we can launch a full-scale movement."

"Understood," hissed the subordinate before turning to the door.

"And Amber…" came an amused rumble from behind him, stopping him in his tracks. "Whoever the kid is that stopped you, don't go out of your way to take revenge. Focus on the mission. If they have a brain, they'll shut the hell up about it and stay out of our business. And if not… Well, we'll see what happens at Slateport, won't we?"

"Understood, sir."

* * *

**A/N**: Amber is a manga-exclusive character, but Aqua only has two admins in-game with small parts and I really want to give them depth without adding an original character or something. From what I remember about the R/S arc, Aqua does some pretty crazy stuff. In case it's confusing at all, the 'Devon Goods' (in this, at least) are a combination of blueprints/plans/files for ship parts and actual ship parts. Obviously they aren't too big since May is carrying them around.

"Stupid bird" is a bit of an endearing term. "BEAUTIFUL EGG," well, there isn't really a double meaning there… the word entry thing in RSE was just weird lol


	8. VS Brawly!

**EDIT 12/1/14: **Fixed up this chapter a bit, especially near the middle.

* * *

**Chapter 8 – VS. Brawly, "A Big Wave in Fighting!" Steven Stone, the Son of Devon's President**

"So, what was it, 'May'? You wanna challenge me?"

I gripped Wingull's Pokeball in my hand and nodded curtly. Brawly's gym had put up quite the fight – aside from the new Pokemon like Meditite I'd fought, many of the battles had been in complete darkness. That was the feature of Dewford's Gym – fortunately, the chamber holding the main battlefield was well-lit.

"Haha, alright!" Brawly responded with a wide grin. "I'll warn you, though my Fighting-types n' I have trained in the roughest waves of Hoenn's waters. We're no joke, n' we're not some honors student, either."

He threw out a Pokeball, and a familiar Pokemon appeared on the other side of the floor, which, similar to the Rustboro Gym's, was made entirely of rock. Machop. It'd been used by all kinds of Karate experts across Johto in and outside of battles, and my father in particular had faced them often to improve his skills against his Pokemon's type disadvantage.

I tossed out Wingull's ball in response, and each Pokemon let out a wild battlecry.

"Begin!" shouted the referee. (I was almost positive he was one of the fanboys from the previous evening…)

Brawly's first two Pokemon were fairly easy to defeat, with a Flying-type on my side. Not to mention the training we did the previous night proved useful; Wingull was either dodging or countering all of Machop's – and Meditite's – attacks. It had recently learned Wing Attack, as well, which gave me a huge advantage in the fight. However, the Gym Leader's third Pokemon – the one from yesterday evening, Makuhita – took down Wingull with ease. The frail bird Pokemon had been tossed right back around out of its Wing Attack and into a wall from a deadly move Brawly called Vital Throw. I frowned as I returned it to its ball and tucked it in my bag, and without losing my focus, brought out Combusken's Pokeball.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, now, little blue! My Makuhita's the core of my team – the undertow that'll take you down, if you don't push harder!" The leader teased from across the room, placing one hand on his hip.

I grimaced and pulled out the Pokedex. _Better late than never…_

"_Makuhita, the Guts Pokemon. Makuhita has a tireless spirit – it will never give up hope. It eats a lot of food, gets plenty of sleep, and it trains very rigorously. By living that way, this Pokemon packs its body with energy."_

_Damn, _I thought, clenching the Pokeball in my hand. _If Combusken can't get this done quickly, Makuhita might just outlast it in battle completely…_

"Makuhita, hit 'em with an Arm Thrust," he said casually as soon as my Pokemon reappeared. The puny, friendly-looking thing leapt forward in response, bringing its hand down towards Combusken's head.

"Counter it with a Double Kick!" I ordered.

The attacks clashed, and I could have sworn I saw the rock beneath the pair crack. After a second both Pokemon scooted away from each other, and then continued. "Double Kick again!" I shouted. "Faster!" I wanted to get the Gym battle done as soon as possible – _after all, I have to deliver the Devon Goods!_ I could feel the heavy box of items in my bag. They were almost like a weight, a reminder of the experience with Aqua, a reminder that I had more to do than Gym battles. "Another one!" The Pokemon's blows continued to meet, growing more and more intense, pushing each other to the limit.

"Arm Thrust!" Brawly kept responding, hands in his pockets. He seemed more interested in watching me than he was in the battle, however, and at one point, I met his gaze – it still had that lazy, carefree coolness to it, but there was something else present too. His eyes were narrowed. Was it… _scrutiny_?

My mind flashed back to the battle with Roxanne, and suddenly I lost my focus.

And Brawly took the chance. "Arm Thrust!"

Combusken glanced back at me, awaiting orders, but I was too late and could barely bark out a "B-block it!" before Makuhita closed in. My Pokemon obeyed, crossing both its arms above its head and holding back the Arm Thrust to the best of its ability. But it couldn't – not for long. "Now, Ember!"

"Move back, Makuhita!" Brawly called out, sounding a little louder. The Pokemon hopped in the opposite direction, just barely in time to avoid getting its face singed.

"You're pretty hot-headed, little blue! But you gotta learn to appreciate balance more. The stronger the wave, the bigger the crash."

The grinding of my teeth probably echoed through the cave-like arena. _What's with these stupid ocean metaphors?!_

"Bulk Up, Makuhita!"

Much to my surprise, the tiny Pokemon seemed to grow to two times its normal size and flexed its terrifying muscles. I raised an eyebrow.

"Combusken, use Ember again."

The Pokemon shot its flames out once more, this time from further away.

"Arm Thrust it, Makuhita!"

Sure enough, the feisty little Pokemon's attack struck Combusken's and blew the flames to either side, rendering them completely harmless. I cursed under my breath. _Now what?_

"_Combus-ken!"_ my Pokemon squawked at me, waving its big arms back and forth, as if telling me not to give up yet. I sighed lightly. _You're right. We still have…_

"Your move," I told him.

He grinned, as if he saw right through my plan. "Sand Attack, Makuhita."

Dirt and sand was sent flying into Combusken's face, effectively preventing me from launching a decent attack. The Pokemon's lowered accuracy would make close combat dangerous for it. _But I can still…_

"Get the sand out of your eyes, Combusken! Hurry!" I ordered, with faked urgency.

Brawly saw the chance, and took it, calling for his Pokemon to use Bulk Up again, and then launch its strongest Arm Thrust. "Here it comes! The big wave, ahah!"

Makuhita charged at Combusken. I waited, and waited, and waited, and sweated, boy was I nervously sweating, and then…

"Now, use Peck; it's right in front of you! _Combusken_!"

Combusken leaped forward, putting its complete trust in me, and drove its beak directly into Makuhita, who had gained an incredible amount of momentum at this point. The Fighting-type Pokemon skidded across the floor and was no sooner recalled by its trainer.

I approached Combusken, who was still walking around in circles blindly, stifled a laugh, and returned it to its Pokeball. "Let's go get you washed up, you stupid bird."

"Ahaha, that was gnarly!" came Brawly's deep voice. "You definitely deserve the Knuckle Badge! I didn't see that one coming!" He sauntered up to me and held out a blue badge shaped like a boxing glove, and, like Roxanne had, a TM. They gleamed under the Gym's artificial lights. "You totally swamped me, little blue, like a massive tidal wave hidden between a bunch of little ones."

I hardly understood what he was getting at, but took the words as compliments and accepted the badge. "Thank you. Oh, by the way-"

"Hahaha, time to go surfing again!" Brawly tore off his shirt and ran right past me, completely blowing me off. I stood there for a minute, blinking, before scowling and chasing him.

"H-hold on!" I shouted as I left the gym. Finally, he heard me, and turned around, eyes wide. "Huh, what is it, little blue?" A grin suddenly spread across his features. "You wanna learn how t' surf, don't you?"

I sighed – Brawly truly was unable to read the atmosphere. "N-no, thank you, I'm just looking for someone, and, well… since you're, you know, the Gym Leader here, I was wondering if… you've seen him…?"

He walked back over to me, setting the surfboard he'd been holding against the wall of the Gym. "Huh? And who'd that be? I know almost everyone that comes through here, haha!"

I reached into my pocket, fingering the small sheet of paper nervously and glancing at the surfboard. "His name is Steven, I think. The President of Devon Corporation told me he was currently at Dewford."

Something unreadable flashed in Brawly's eyes, and he held a bewildered expression for a moment, before grinning absently again. "I haven't seen him, or caught word of 'em, but from what I know about the guy, my guess is that if he _is _here, he'd be in Granite Cave, up north a bit, little blue."

I still had no idea why he was calling me "little blue", but by now I was used to it. "…Granite Cave, huh..?" _That's the one place I haven't fully explored yet… And it's where that other person pointed me to… I have the badge how, and it's still early, so I guess I'll get started._ "Thank you."

Shortly after starting for the Pokemon Center, I heard him call out, "Hang on, lil blue!"

I shifted my gaze back around as Brawly jogged towards me. I could tell why he was popular with the girls, here at Dewford, but that had nothing to do with my Pokemon training, of course, but still-

Combusken squawked.

"What's someone like you got to do with a guy like Steven, anyways?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious. Three of his possi members then appeared out of thin air, giving me accusing glares.

"Wow, this girl's still trying to find _Steven_?" "Ahaha, that's embarrassing." "Hey, she better not be hitting on Brawly!"

I stuffed the letter further into my pocket. The last thing I wanted to do was tell more people, _especially _people likely to gossip, about what had happened with Devon, Team Aqua, and I. "I… told you, uh… President Stone told me to bring him something."

The group of them looked a little dissatisfied. I wondered if Brawly knew this 'Steven' personally, and why a bunch of beach girls cared about some Devon businessman. As I entered the Pokemon Center and dropped off Wingull, I snickered to myself, imagining what it'd be like if that Shroomish guy I'd saved had a fan club or a big following like 'Steven' apparently did.

* * *

Granite Cave was, as I'd imagined, much larger than Rusturf Tunnel. The ceiling rose so high that I couldn't even spot the creepy stalactites that were probably pointing down towards me, and it was dark; the hiker near the entrance had still been guarding it, and, after showing him the Knuckle Badge, he admitted to actually being assigned to stand at the cave entrance by Brawly to advise travelers to first show their power at the gym before heading into the unlit area. He'd then handed me an HM for a move called Flash, which I accepted, though not without a little bewilderment. I wondered why everyone was being so generous to me. _Is this what they call 'Trainer Etiquette'?_

Once we climbed down to the second level, I realized what the hiker had meant. I couldn't even see Combusken, who was protectively walking at my side. Luckily, I'd fought with and caught a strange little Pokemon called Sableye on the first floor, and taught it the HM Flash before moving too far into the cave.

After it lit up the area around me, the three of us advanced. My head pounded, and I, ever so slowly, grew more and more frustrated. How in the world was I supposed to find someone in a place like this?! Calling out his name would be an option, but that would sound a little suspicious – not to mention, it might wake up some kind of horrible cave-dwelling Pokemon. My mind flashed back to a few years ago, when there was a news story on TV in Johto about a man getting trampled nearly to death by a Dunsparce pack in a place called Dark Cave, after trying to listen to his own echo. _Yeah, not happening._

It was right when I was about to lose it and call Mr. Stone when I tripped over some kind of rock and fell flat on my face. _Oof! H-how did I not see… Urgh!_ Cursing, got to my feet and leaned against a wall. My toes throbbed, and though I couldn't see it I could tell I'd scraped my , Running Shoes were no substitute for hiking boots. _Mom won't let me forget this one… _I took a minute to catch my breath and then started dusting off my clothes.

Suddenly the rock I'd tripped on began moving. I squinted. Yeah, _moving. _It wasn't just the artificial light made by Sableye – that rock was _white_. Bone white. It moved more and more, and then two angry, bright blue spheres were staring into my cloudier, dark blue ones. I heard Combusken grumbling off to my right. Without breathing, I pulled out my Pokedex while raising my eyebrows in surprise:

"_Aron, the Iron Armor Pokemon. Aron has a body of steel. With one all-out charge, this Pokemon can demolish even a heavy dump truck. The destroyed dump truck then becomes a handy meal for the Pokemon."_

I smiled and held up both of my hands. "That's kind of intense, there, Aron. I'm sorry about tripping over you…!"

It growled, and I remembered that this was a _wild _Pokemon, not some trained one like Combusken. Before I knew it, it was charging at me, and Combusken was in action, kicking it down the narrow passage we had been walking in.

"W-wait, Combusken! I don't think we should anger this guy…"

But it was too late. Sableye and I watched in exasperation as the two engaged in an epic battle. Aron was furious because its nap had been interrupted, and Combusken was furious at the fact that another Pokemon had the nerve to attack its trainer. It was quite the heated fight; Aron seemed to be able to see and maneuver fine in the darkness, but every time Combusken would use Ember the ground and walls would fill up with a rich red-orange light. I sighed, and took over, calling out commands.

The more I observed the wild Pokemon, though, the more I began to warm up to the idea of catching it. Sure, it had a bit of a temper, but its typing, according to the Pokedex, was Steel and Rock. I didn't have Pokemon of either of those types yet. And, honestly, Aron was cute.

The Pokemon was eventually weakened, though it took a lot of time. It seemed to have a very high defense stat, and could easily take any of Combusken's physical attacks. Ember took a toll on it, though, when it hit_. That combination sure is unique…_

"Combusken, stop!" I finally ordered, pulling out a Timer Ball from my bag. I eyed it meticulously. I'd received it back in Rustboro City, and apparently, it was a newer Devon product that was more likely to catch a Pokemon the longer you were in battle with it…

I took in a breath. The beaten-up Aron looked confused, and paused long enough for me to throw the ball, and…

_Click_!

Combusken gave me a look of dismay, as if I'd betrayed it, but I only grinned, picked up the ball, and carried on. _Welcome to the team, little guy!_

* * *

Even though the battle had momentarily revived my confidence, it began to falter as we carried on with no luck in our search for Steven. And even worse, we were _lost_, hopelessly lost. Combusken didn't know which way was out, and Sableye wouldn't even communicate with me; it just kept shooting those rays of light out of its jewel-like eyes, like a machine.

I sighed, for the umpteenth time that day, and sat down on a boulder. My stomach growled, and both of my Pokemon cooed in agreement. _At this rate, I should just head back to Dewford... I can look again tomorrow, I guess, or just wait outside the cave for him to leave... _I folded my legs and rested my head on my knees. _Geez... what a pain this is. At least it's quiet down here._

_Ping, ping, ping…_

_But where could this guy be? And what's he doing in a cave, in the first place, anyways…?_

_Ping, ping, ping…_

Combusken straightened. I frantically glanced around. _Huh...?_

_Ping, ping… Ping…_

That strange noise… like someone hitting a dining glass with a spoon... _What is that?_ It was muffled, but still audible. And I certainly wasn't imagining it. I nodded at my Pokemon and got back to my feet. We treaded lightly, listening and following the noise, weaving between tunnels and boulders and stepping over any suspicious-looking rocks. The pinging sound grew louder, and louder, until…

"Over there," I whispered to Combusken and Sableye. Yellow light was pouring out from a small crevice in the wall a few yards away. The noise had stopped, but I now heard footsteps in its place, like someone scuffing their feet. I called Sableye and Combusken back into their Pokeballs and crept towards the entrance; it was big enough to fit just one person through, almost like it was man-made, and then I was stepping through it, and…

_A person! An actual person! Yahoo!_ I thought as I gazed at an aged man standing at the wall just a few feet ahead of me. He seemed to be… digging for something? Oh, and there was the source of the pinging – a very small pick, probably meant for precision, lying at his feet. Somehow, the man hadn't noticed me entering, which was strange considering how loud I thought I'd been. _He must be getting hard of hearing._ Next to him sat an Aron, similar to the one I had just caught, though much milder. It seemed to notice my entry and got to its feet.

The room itself was tiny, like a crawlspace or a walk-in closet - definitely not a place for anyone overly claustrophobic. But it was well-lit; there was a makeshift torch lying next to the entrance, and at the man's feet was a fancy oil lamp, providing enough light for one to be able to prospect and mine gems,if that's what they desired to do. My shadow danced across the layers of stone surrounding me as the fire flickered. For a cold, wet cave, the room was comfortable.

I shoved my hand in my pocket and pulled out the letter, fiddling with it. _It's about time. _I then approached the man, who, in the dim light, I noticed was wearing a casual black suit. I still wasn't sure about his age, what with that grayish hair, but nonetheless I was almost positive this was the man President Stone sent me to look for. _Who else would be wearing a suit, anyways?_

"Uhh, excuse me? Are you… with… Devon, by any chance?" I tried to sound as formal as possible, but I still had a lurking suspicion that I didn't have the right person.

The man straightened and turned around. _Huh?! What the hell? He's not an old man! _Despite his apparent hearing problems and mop of gray hair – which, closer up, really was more of a whitish-slate color, than flat-out gray – he looked no older than Brawly. His eyes were a dull blue color, and circled with gray, making it obvious that he'd been standing here for a while. But he definitely didn't have the appearance of an office-dwelling businessman, to say the least, despite the fancy suit and scarlet cravat. He stared for a moment with a dumb look on his face, like he was still in a trance, before replying in a scratchy voice, "…Yes. My name is Steven Stone. Who are you?"

I glanced at the Aron at his feet, which still looked pretty hostile. Its protectiveness almost reminded me of Combusken. "Erm, my name is May...? The Dewford Gym Leader, Brawly, told me I could find you here…?"

For some stupid reason, I momentarily forgot about the letter in my hands.

Steven's stoic expression softened a bit, and he looked around him at all the mining tools and colored stones. Laughing nervously, and then clearing his throat, he told me, "Well, you must be wondering why _I'm_ hidden in some cave like this, then, digging, right? To be honest, I travel around a lot and collect rare stones. It's become a sort of hobby of mine." He gave me an inquisitive look. "You're a Pokemon trainer, correct?" The man definitely wasn't your average Hoenn native - where was his accent? Buried in that formal tone?

I nodded, and to be honest, felt a bad for judging the man so harshly earlier. _At least he's a little less intimidating than Mr. Stone. _I looked over to the indent in the wall behind Steven and reached up to tighten my bandanna. "Well, you don't have to explain yourself. I-it's a cool hobby!" _If I were stuck working for Devon in Rustboro all the time, I'd want to escape, too… though, the bottom of a cave isn't really my ideal place..._ I crossed my arms and then eyed the diverse pile of rocks at his feet. Many of them glittered in the lantern's light. "You must be loaded, digging up that much stuff, too, right...?" My thoughts slipped out and I didn't realize I'd made the comment until it was too late.

Steven looked at me with a confused expression, as though I were missing something, and then politely replied, "Well, I don't really sell them..."

_Gosh, it's like talking to a wall... _I thought, fiddling with the paper in my hands. "…Oh!" I suddenly exclaimed, remembering the letter. "That's right." I held out the crumpled piece of stationery to him. "The President of Devon Corporation – Mr. Stone – told me to deliver this to you- _w-wait_…"

Mr. Stone. He said his name was Steven _Stone_, right…?

The guy took the letter from me, flattening out the wrinkles – hey, it wasn't my fault! – and read it, gray eyes flicking quickly across the page. His face remained still the entire time, not showing a single emotion or sign of acknowledgement.

Meanwhile, I had an epiphany. Mr. _Stone… Don't tell me… the suit, the fact that he doesn't _sell _all these valuable stones… Holy shit! Don't tell me this guy is-_

"Hm, I see." He finally said, voice tight. "My father could have just called me on the Pokenav, though…"

I almost screamed. Luckily, Combusken had quietly escaped from its Pokeball, and it jabbed my foot before I could make an even bigger fool out of myself. Now in even more pain than before, I ground my teeth together and put on a friendly grin as Steven looked back over at me.

"Oh, you're the President's son! Sorry about the bad shape the letter's in!" I said robotically.

He crumpled up the letter and, much to my chagrin, threw it into the torch resting on the ground. I watched in horror as it burned into nothingness. "It's fine. You deserve a thanks, though. I'm sure saving my father's employees and trekking through a place like this was a lot of trouble."

_Huh? The letter… mentioned that? _"Here, it's a TM for my favorite attack, Steel Wing. It's not much, but since you're a trainer, you'll find it handy at some point."

"Oh! Thanks," I mustered, accepting the TM – again, with this Hoenn generosity! – and fitting it into my bag. Combusken watched everything warily, especially Steven's Aron. I nudged the Fire-type with my shoe as if threatening to call it back into its ball again. _This is the heir to Devon, you stupid bird! Behave!_

Steven apparently noticed this, and laughed lightly. "You know, I think you and your Pokemon there have a lot of potential. You could become the Pokemon League Champion one day, if you keep training."

…_What?_

I probably looked silly, unintentionally giving him an incredulous look. But still..._ Champion? Is this guy serious? _"I, um… Thank you…?! I mean, I'm taking up the Gym challenge right now, but really…" I rubbed the back of my head. "The League Champion? That's… a bit of a long shot… ahah…" _Favorite attack?! This guy must not know the first thing about Pokemon! Combusken's just a little twerp! And I only have three- no, four- other Pokemon!_

He grinned, at last showing some emotion. I coughed and looked away. It was a childish one, almost like he were recalling a memory. "Well, I used to think that way, too. In any case, since we've both gotten to know each other a little, let's go ahead and register one another in our Pokenavs." Between his mannerisms and his grown out, messy hair, Steven really didn't seem like the businessman type of guy.

I agreed and pulled mine out, though I really wasn't sure what the heir to Devon thought was so significant about some mediocre Pokemon trainer who'd done his company a simple favor. Even if the letter had mentioned that Team Aqua thing, I couldn't imagine what the President's son would want to do with that. They were a criminal group, not some kind of rival company you could negotiate with. Did they want to keep an eye on me to make sure I didn't hand over the Devon Goods to Aqua? Or was it more protective? I took another look at Steven as he typed in my number; his expression remained blank and unreadable. If the letter was so important that its message couldn't be communicated by phone, and that the messenger had to be someone like me and not an actual Devon employee, _and _that he'd burned it up after reading it, it must have had some sort of important information in it.

I was left to guess what that information was.

"…Well, I should probably hurry on. See you later, May," he told me, picking up his supplies, and reviving the formality that the exchange had begun with. However, much to my surprise, Steven then gave me a friendly nod as he left, further confusing the formal tone. I was reminded of Mr. Stone and that quirky phone call in Rustboro, and barely contained a puff of laughter at the similarity of their gestures. _Am I that much like my father, I wonder...?_

Seconds later, I was once again alone. No pinging, no other footsteps, no voices. The dim light of the torch got smaller and smaller before vanishing completely, and the darkness of the underground swallowed up the little chamber. _Team Aqua… Are they tied closer to Devon than I thought? …What did that letter… say? What does Steven know?_ Curiosity clawed at my heart, and I felt the Devon Goods again weighing my bag down. _And why should I even care? Geez..._

Combusken eventually squawked and pulled on my leg eagerly, and I sighed at it, letting my worries fade for the moment.

"Yeah, okay. We'll go get you some food now, you stupid bird."

* * *

My stomach was roaring by the time I made it back to the center of Dewford Town, and food was my top priority. I loafed over to a small ocean-side shack that sold traditional Hoenn food, deciding to treat my Pokemon for once - they were probably sick of granola, at this point.

I had just plopped down at a seat when some familiar voices caught my attention.

"So, what, he _was_ here?"

"Dunno. It might've been him."

"Ohh, I can't believe we missed him!"

"That's so rad."

Yes, I recognized them now. They were the voices of those people Brawly hung out with, that were laughing at me for whatever reason earlier today. I glanced casually over my shoulder; there they were, a few tables back from me, eating some kind of exotic seafood dish I didn't recognize.

"I can't believe that chick was looking for him, though."

"Yeah, haha."

"I'll bet you anything he just ran off as soon as he caught sight of her."

"Probably! My friend said she found him once, and as soon as she called her friends over to get autographs, he bolted."

I narrowed my eyes, and my grip on the glass of soda tightened. _They're talking about me, aren't they…?!_ I had half a mind to turn around and tell I had actually had a conversation with Steven Stone, as weird as it was, but I knew it wasn't a good idea. My dad in particular had advised me to always stay level-headed in this type of situation, but it was challenging.

Combusken had stopped chowing down, and was now clenching and unclenching its claws in agitation.

"Who does she think she is anyway, right? She beats Brawly once, and then thinks she's ready to go fight the _Champion_?"

…_Huh?_

"Yeah. Plus, she's pretty inexperienced, for her age. I saw a little toddler the other day with better Pokemon than her."

"But still, it's people like that that probably made Steven Stone so reclusive in the first place, right? I heard he stays cooped up in caves for weeks at a time."

"Yeah. I wish he'd at least stopped in Dewford, so I could get him to sign my-"

_I must've misunderstood something – they mentioned the League Champion. And what do a bunch of… partying teenagers… find so interesting about the son of the head of Devon? It's just a big corporation._

"Yo, guys!"

"Hey, Brawly."

"Huh? Heya, little blue, s' that you?"

I straightened and turned around. _Oh, no, that's not…_

Brawly, complete with his crazy hair and lazy grin, was standing by the counter, ordering food. "So, did you find Steven?"

Queue the snickers from the other table.

"I-uh… Yup."

The group was a little surprised, but I could see out of the corner of my eye that they were still giggling. "What'd he say?" one of them cawed.

I glanced at them momentarily, before looking back at Brawly. "I delivered what I needed to deliver. That's all. I don't think he'd want me telling random nobodies about professional business relating to Devon Corporation." I then took a sip of my drink in the most sophisticated of ways.

Brawly chuckled gingerly as the people at the table gawked and chirped back and forth to each other in hushed tones. "Well, I'm just glad it worked out. I wasn't sure if you actually needed t' see him or if you were just some fan, and he's technically my superior and my friend, so I didn't wanna piss him off, since he's probably holed up like that to _avoid_ that kind of attention, y'know?"

'_Technically my superior'? I wonder what that means, _I pondered, eating some more of my food – _Wow, I'm hungrier than I thought I was.._. _Well, I probably shouldn't ask, because then I _would _sound like the kind of fan those guys are describing…_

"May! Hello, lass!" came another familiar voice, and off to my right I spotted Mr. Briney bouncing up the beach towards the restaurant. Peeko flew about its trainer's tanned, bald head excitedly. "Yer ready to leave, now, aren't ye?!"

I swiveled around in my chair, taking one last bite of my meal. I'd practically forgotten about Briney and the boat. He came to a stop in front of the bar, panting heavily, and I was a little concerned for his health. "Yup! I'm all set. I just finished the errand… are we leaving right now?" I questioned, hopping off the chair and setting some money on the counter.

Mr. Briney nodded vigorously. "There's going to be an incredible sunset over the water soon, and if we leave now, we might be able to see it!"

My eyebrows shot up. "The sunset…?" I smiled, just the tiniest bit, and grabbed Combusken. "…Okay, let's go, then!"

Mr. Briney and Peeko both perked up in glee. "Fantastic! Onward, then! Let's set sail, Peeko dear!"

I practically had to sprint to keep up with the two of them as they took off. Somewhere behind me, Brawly yelled an exasperated 'later!' I wasn't sure why I was so excited to see this sunset the captain was so worked up about, but I bounded onto the ship nonetheless, Combusken wrapped around my neck like a scarf.

* * *

The boat rumbled and began moving forward once again, though this time, we moved east instead of south. It advanced past the overgrown island across the bay from Dewford, and at the same time, the sun leisurely inched its way towards the horizon. The boat eventually slowed down once we were in open ocean, and Mr. Briney emerged from the cabin, Peeko iconically perched on his shoulder.

"Off the stern, lass!" he told me, pointing back towards Dewford, which was now a small dark smudge on the horizon.

I gazed expectantly as the sun dipped below the shadowy trees, imagining that Brawly and his unbearable gang were probably still back there, gossiping about this or that without a single care. I smiled. Dewford Town was strange, surely, but definitely not _bad_. Mr. Briney had been right about the sunset, too; the whole day, the sky had been clear, and now, it was cloudless, making for a beautiful transition from tangerine to deep blue. As it grew darker still, Combusken excitedly pointed out a number of stars beginning to appear far above us.

The air was salty, but not harsh or cold, at all, and the only waves present in the water little ripples that rocked the boat comfortably, like a mother rocking a child to sleep. My eyelids drifted closed.

Overhead, Peeko glided around in circles, apparently invigorated by the nice weather. Fortunately, Combusken was not seasick, and I eventually let my own Wingull out as well to enjoy the air.

I leaned against the railing of the ship and sighed. _Yeah… this is the life. Definitely, _I thought, glancing over at Combusken and then back towards the sky.

Once the sun had completely set, I turned around to see where Mr. Briney was. My eyes widened as I noticed he was lounging in the captain's chair, fast asleep. I didn't know how far away from Slateport City we were, and from my experience, the ocean tended to get rough overnight.

"_Gull! Wingull!"_ cried Peeko, pecking at its trainer's face. He woke abruptly. "Oh! Oh."

"Mr. Briney, sir," I started, "the sunset was amazing, but… how far away are we from Slateport?"

"Oh, Slateport?" Mr. Briney said with a chuckle. "It's right around the corner, if we just do this!"

I raised an eyebrow. _Right around the corner? The only thing I can see is Dewford, way back there…_

Mr. Briney waddled over to the boat's engine, fiddled around with it for a minute, and suddenly, with a lurch, the boat was flying forwards, I was tumbling across the floor of the ship. Mr. Briney laughed maniacally, Peeko perched on his shoulder, while posing on the bow of the ship.

"_C-COMBUS! BUSKEN!"_ squawked the Pokemon in shock.

"I KNOW!" I agreed.

The water was a blur of blue and cyan, now. The boat slid over it with ease. After a minute or two, I got used to the ridiculous speed, and, with an uneasy lump in my stomach, got back to my feet. Combusken was still flapping in the wind like a flag, holding onto the railing with just one claw, and I quickly returned it to its ball before it became the world's first chicken to attain flight.

I was half tempted to ask Mr. Briney if he was… okay… in the head, but just then, in the distance, a sand bar of some sort came into view, followed by the skyline of a city. _Slateport…? It's Slateport!_

* * *

**A/N: **Again, 'stupid bird' is really an endearing term. Writing the antics between May and Combusken is fun.

Steven is IMPOSSIBLE to write. What's his deal? Suave or awkward? He's obviously a bit of an introvert, but I wouldn't say he's famous enough to have paparazzis following him around. Maybe in Unova. Anyways, May doesn't realize he's the Champion, since she's from Johto and all, but he'll play a big part in the story, like he does in the manga, sort of. I wish they told you what was in the letter in-game, but as far as this story goes, it was probably relating to Aqua and their movements and the Devon Goods and eventually May, etc. But Steven's intentions are still very foggy right now, so we won't find out what they are until later.


	9. Aqua in Slateport

**A/N:** So, here we are at Slateport and the first major Aqua encounter. There's actually an official vocal version of the Slateport theme that's sung in Japanese and sounds really nice. As far as music goes I'd also probably recommend Regirock's Olivine City remix?

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Team Aqua Encounter at the Slateport Oceanic Museum!**

Somehow, Mr. Briney had managed to slow down the boat before we skidded onto the beach and injured more than a few late-night partygoers. I hopped onto the sand and gave a quick wave to Briney, who was apparently heading back to Dewford for one reason or another. He gave his usual cheery good-bye and told me he'd be there if I needed to cross the sea again, before setting off.

I turned towards the land. It was completely dark now, and the moon sat high over the skyline ahead of me. Bonfires spotted the beach here and there, staining the dusty sand with vivid orange and red, and further back, the city was twinkling with life. Despite how late it was, the breeze coming off of the ocean behind me was warm, and… nostalgic...? _It reminds me of Olivine, already, _I thought to myself.

"The Devon Goods," I muttered with a shake of my head, letting Combusken out of its ball. "That's my first priority. Then the Pokemon Gym – if there's even a gym here. Maybe if I check…"

I whipped out the Pokenav. The light stung my eyes and illuminated the rotting, salt-scented wood and of the pier around me, and I squinted to read the menus. _Let's see… Map. _I clicked open the application, and then zoomed on Slateport City. A small blue box popped up with a description inside: "_A bustling coastal city known for its markets and sea ports._" _Sure does sound like home, _I mused. Unfortunately, on a list of the city's attractions, there was no Pokemon Gym.

I frowned. _Well, that's okay, I guess… I'll just focus on the Devon Goods, then._

Combusken yawned.

"Yeah, you're right," I murmured, closing the Pokenav and gazing up at the brilliant city ahead. "Let's just get to the Pokemon Center and call it a night…"

* * *

Slateport City was as marvelous as the vacations spots made it out to be. Compared to everywhere else I'd been – even Rustboro City – Slateport was massive, and must've had the highest population in all of Hoenn's cities. In the downtown district, sparkling silver buildings pointed up into the sky; on ever sidestreet and in every alley were stalls. It was like a festival. Tourists and townsfolk alike from all kinds of places speaking all kinds of languages wandered the streets with big cameras hung around their necks and Pokemon perched on their shoulders. I had to shift and barge through throngs of people of all ages to get from place to place. And it wasn't just the land, either – the harbor off of the city's eastern district held hundreds of colorful sailboats, and further out in the open ocean, huge cruise liners sat on the thin line between sea and sky. Between the sights and the sounds, my thoughts from Dewford about Team Aqua and Steven Stone were all pushed to the back of my mind.

We took a good portion of the day exploring the metropolitan area of the city. I'd meant to head straight to the shipyard, but unfortunately, a troupe of merchants practically dragged me into the labyrinth of markets spread across the southwestern district. I ended up buying an excessive amount of stuff, with the money I'd earned from earlier battles, and thankfully, it was all apparently sent to my PC. The majority of it was furniture for something called a "Secret Base". I technically didn't have one, but they sounded nice, from what I heard from the vendors – little treehouse-sort of things that you could throw together on a route.

Once through the market district, I was spat back out onto the main streets. We pushed our way back into the Pokemon Center, deciding to take a break. A long one, perhaps, one that lasted until the streets cleared up and it was actually possible to _get _somewhere without getting crushed between a pack of vacationing Kanto teenagers and a group of surfer dudes. My face scrunched up in irritation just looking out the building's windows into the ocean of people and Pokemon. _Maybe they're all here for that 'Pokemon Contest' thing I read about._

* * *

Time crawled by. I took a short nap, read a number of informational brochures from one of the little stalls inside the Pokemon Center, talked to a group of Johto tourists, and played around with the Pokenav a bit, until around 2:30 in the afternoon. The main road, at least, seemed to have less traffic now.

"Come on, Combusken," I told my lounging Pokemon, Devon Goods in hand, "we've got to deliver these. I'm sure that guy – Stern, was it? – he's probably waited long enough."

Combusken squawked in agreement.

* * *

We were around halfway to where the Shipyard was located – the streets were clearer, now, too – when I stopped dead in my tracks. I felt Combusken run into my leg behind me and fall to the ground.

_No way… That can't be… That uniform is…!_

Off to my left, overlooking the waterfront, was the Slateport Oceanic Museum. I'd read about it in a pamphlet, but up close, it was even more majestic. The exterior was pure white, and the architecture was artistic and unique, standing out among the rest of Slateport's small, ordinary houses – around the perimeter were all kinds of marble columns and sculptures and plaques.

But what caught my eye wasn't the museum – it was the long line of uniformed men and women in front of it. Their voices were loud and they spoke carelessly, tossing words and cusses around, some spitting on the ground now and then, others leaning against the rope lines and fiddling with their bandannas.

_They're all... Team Aqua…?!_

I shook my head and shoved the Devon Goods into my backpack as fast as possible.

"It's time to do some reconnaissance, Combusken," I whispered, keeping my eyes glued to the courtyard outside of the museum where the goons were standing.

"_Busken_."

We slithered towards the group, blending in with the few remaining crowds – most of the people around the museum were gawking at the long line of Aqua grunts, and taking pictures. Whatever the team was up to, I wanted to know. I wasn't sure _why _I thought it was my business. _I guess that thing in Petalburg Forest really hit me…_ I thought to myself, though it was more than that; I was worried. I felt involved. This was a criminal organization; if something bad was happening at this museum… where were the police?

I sat down at a nearby bench, back turned to the crowd, and listened:

"Tch, why are we even paying admission?! We're Team Aqua!"

"Shut up! Don't disobey the boss! He's pretty damn terrifying when he's mad, lemme tell you…!"

"I don't even know what he even _wants _at a place like this, y'know?"

"I heard he was gonna show up today."

"Uhg, this sucks. We stood out a lot less when the streets were full o' people."

"This reminds me of when I used to camp out at video game stores to buy the newest hits…"

_They're _paying _admission?! _I thought, holding in laughter. Sure, my hands were shaking and I was _beyond_ nervous, but that was sort of…

"…Hey, you!"

That was it. I bolted. I didn't even care if the call was directed at me or not; I wasn't taking any chances. Plus, that voice sounded strangely like the one I heard in Petalburg Woods and Rusturf Tunnel.

I paced around Slateport for a while, trying to calm down and get my mind off the presence of Team Aqua in the city, and eventually arrived at the Shipyard. The main building, similar to the Oceanic Museum, stood out starkly against the modern skyline of Slateport; it was beat up and rusted, in contrast to the city's glamour, and if it wasn't for the large amount of cars and boats parked around the facility, one would have assumed it was abandoned. Streaks of orange sunlight stained the building's roof and the surrounding lot of land. _It's getting late._

With a deep breath, I hurried inside.

The Shipyard's interior was anything but aged – it was lined with shiny metal flooring, making it resemble more of a laboratory than a warehouse, and intricate machines were attached to the walls, filling the main room with beeps and clicks and ticks of all kinds.

I cautiously approached a man sitting at a messy desk covered in blueprints. He mumbled incoherently to himself and shifted the papers around.

"Hmm… Maybe, if I put this over here- no, no. But this thingy-ma-bobber might just work if I… No! No, that won't do. _Grah_! This is so hard to make sense of!"

I contemplated walking away before he noticed me, but it was too late.

"Hi there, young miss! I'm Dock. Can I help you?" the man greeted.

I blinked. _Dock? …Hoenn. _"My name is May. I'm looking for a Captain… Stern? Captain Stern, yes. Someone told me I could find him here…?"

"Oh! Stern?" Recognition appeared on Dock's face. "Yes, I'm actually designing a ferry for him right now, but… Oh, wait, are those… the Devon Goods, in your hands?"

"Yup," I replied.

He glanced off to the side with an irritated look and placed one hand on his unshaven chin. "Hmm.. Well, Stern's out somewhere right now – I think he said he was doing some more research at the usual spot, like always – but I suppose you could go find him. I'm not really qualified to handle those, you see."

"Oh!" I responded, "Okay. Thank you anyway, Mr. Dock." _What the hell? I'm seriously getting screwed over here, aren't I…_

* * *

With a number of protests from Combusken, we were walking along the cobblestone streets of Slateport once more. The sun was dipping into the sea and I silently hoped that this would all be over and done with soon, without conflict. I reluctantly decided to ask someone about Captain Stern and where he might be; the townspeople seemed friendly enough.

"Captain Stern? Well, he's the one that founded the Slateport Museum, so my guess is that you'll find him there!" an older man working outside the Shipyard told me, scratching his beard.

I froze. "The… the museum…!"

"Huh? Is there something wrong, miss?"

"Nope," I replied after a moment. "I'm all good! Thanks!"

I immediately ran off in the opposite direction, trying to mask my fear. Something bad could be going down at the museum right now, and I'd wanted to just put it out of my mind, but…

I slowed down after my legs wouldn't carry me further and came to a stop. Combusken, who'd barely been keeping up with me, tilted its head in concern and gave a little chirp.

"I know, Combusken, I shouldn't run," I told it, gazing out at the ocean; we'd somehow ended up on a quiet peninsula next to Slateport's lighthouse. Some ways back, I'd left the metropolitan area and entered a more remote part of the city. I sat down atop a grassy ledge that fell right onto the beach and gazed up at the tower, watching its light go around and around, and wondered absently if there were an electric-type Pokemon in there powering it. The wind was picking up, too, and grass began brushing against my knees, and somewhere off to the left, cicadas were chirping. It was a shocking change in setting from the urban downtown.

"But, it's just… why did _I _have to get involved in something like this? And why would I _purposely _go somewhere that 'Team Aqua' is, after what happened in Rustboro City? I was only planning on collecting gym badges, not fighting off some kind of… gang…" I flipped my Pokenav around in my hand absently. "And since Stern's at the Museum, too, there's no doubt that Team Aqua is there for the stuff I'm carrying_…_ Why isn't the police doing anything? Why isn't _anyone_ doing anything, if they're as bad as I think they are…?"

Combusken chirped again and sat down next to me.

"Like, what if they put a hit on me, or something like that, you know? Plus, if Dad found out I was doing something this dangerous, he'd probably send me back to Littleroot. Or to a boarding school. Or to Johto. That wouldn't be too bad, though…"

* * *

The morning sun rose tiredly from the ocean. From where the two girls sat, one could have guessed it was coming from Cianwood City, but if you had a map, you'd probably lean more towards the mythical Whirl Islands being the bringer of daytime. It blanketed the foggy and rather mild air in warmth. Soon, it would climb high enough to peep through the weathered windows of the fishermen and sailors living along the coastline and wake them from their well-earned slumbers, but at the moment, it was resting on the crests of the faraway waves and dyeing the rocky cliffs beneath the girls' feet a soft pink. Only a few clouds were leftover from the storm from the previous evening, and even now, they were drifting further inland, away from the coastline.

The first girl had flowing hair that was practically meant for the breeze coming off of the water that just barely rustled it. Her eyes, lidded slightly in timidity, matched the color of her hair – a light, sandy tan. She gazed up at something behind her acquaintance – the lighthouse. It stood watch over the ocean and city as it always did. The faint glow coming from the top of the tower gave her a feeling of comfort and security. Her feet kicked back and forth across the edge; she had to be especially careful not to lose her sandal to the sea below again.

The second girl, in contrast, kicked her legs forward and backwards as though she were about to take off. Her eyes were a foggy blue, matching the color of the churning water she was gazing expectantly at, and though her hair was of a somewhat similar shade to the first girl's, it was shorter, and stuck out here and there – the wind only worsened this effect. She seemed like she was about to dive right off the cliff and into the ocean.

The first girl was speaking, though her voice was weak and the breeze would sometimes catch her words in midair and blow them in the opposite direction of who she was talking to. "…And, so, Ampharos stays up there all day and night. Its tail lights up, since it has so much Electric power, sort of like a light bulb, and I think that's how the lighthouse-"

"Wow, Electric, huh? I bet we could use against some of the Water-type Pokemon on the beach!" The second girl said, grinning and springing to her feet. "My dad told me Electric's super powerful against Waters!"

The first girl tilted her head reluctantly. "I-I dunno know about that… Amphy doesn't like to fight…"

The second girl pouted and sat back down, crossing her legs. "Oh, okay. Oh! How about we go see Amphy? I've never seen an Ampharos before!"

"I-I'm not sure…" The girl muttered. "My father usually doesn't let people in to see him… But, maybe if our dads talk he will!"

The other girl perked up hopefully before frowning. "W-wait… Aah, crap! Dad's still out on a business trip…"

The first girl's interest was piqued. "D-do you mean for the gym leader job?"

The second girl gazed back down at the water and spitefully threw a pebble off of the ledge. "Mm-hmm. He's in Kanto. The boat isn't gonna be back until later this week…"

"I-" The first girl stopped herself. She wanted to know more about gym leaders and what it took to become one – her ultimate dream was to run the Olivine City Gym. It would let her be close to Amphy while doing what she liked to do for a living – to meet new trainers, and to be with Pokemon. But she could tell her friend didn't want to talk about it anymore – she always seemed to feel down when her father was out on a trip. "Anyways, let's go watch TV. I think Professor Oak's show is gonna be on soon!"

The second girl nodded, an adventurous smile returning to her face. "Yeah!"

With a new plan for the day, the girls bounded back into the streets and away from the coastline. Meanwhile, the glow of the lighthouse grew ever brighter, watching as the city started up its daily routine once more.

* * *

Combusken squawked loudly, almost in encouragement, and tugged on my arm. I snapped out of my thoughts and flicked it playfully back on its forehead.

"You're right. I shouldn't even be worrying about things like that, should I…?" I took a deep sigh, and then a grin made its way onto my face. "Besides, it's my journey, and my business. Dad doesn't have to know a thing!"

I winked at Combusken, who squawked back, and gave it a little high-five before hurrying off back into the city with renewed confidence.

* * *

_There they are._

Scattered across the first floor of the museum's pristine, glossy, pastel-dyed interior were at least thirty Team Aqua members, hunched over, all dressed in the same garb, muttering back and forth in hushed tones and huddled around exhibits. I reached for Combusken's Pokeball, uneasiness stirring in my chest…

"AAAAAH! UAAAAAH! Stay away from me!" yelped the grunt closest to the entrance, and my gaze moved over onto him. I raised my eyebrows. "Y-you _are_ that girl!"

_That girl…? _I thought in dismay. _D-don't tell me they actually_ _have a hit on me?!_

I then realized that I recognized this guy. Undoubtedly, he was the grunt from Rusturf Tunnel. _That's a relief,_ I mused to myself with a half-smile.

The man glanced either way nervously, looking around at his fellow members, who didn't seem to care about the ordeal. "D-damn! This is totally gonna screw up our plans! W-why can't you just stay the hell out've our business?!" He straightened, and thrust one finger towards at me accusingly. "One day, _you_, you'll get what's comin' to you, you bitch!"

With that, he fled out of the museum like a frightened Zigzagoon. It was almost laughable, but the last part of his outburst managed to put me on edge. _Team Aqua… _my eyes roamed back across the room. _They really are… this big?_ I cast a glare towards at the museum's entrance, almost wanting to chase after him. "Who are _you_ calling 'bitch'?!"

I sighed through my teeth and picked up the TM that had flown out of his back pocket in his frenzy, sticking it in my bag. Ironically, I realized, it was for Thief.

_In any case, unless Mr. Stern is a member of Team Aqua, he couldn't be on this floor, _I thought, avoiding the suspicious glances of Team Aqua grunts sent my way now and then. They were a diverse bunch – some of them were in their late twenties, but a few were around _my_ age. They all wore the same blue and white outfits, and blue bandannas, tied around messy hair – not unlike my own. Some of them had tanned skin, and were rather muscular – the Hoenn natives, probably – while others had fairer skin and were scrawnier. The female members were distinguishable by their shirts, which cut off halfway down their chest and exposed their midriffs, and, on some of them, their tattoos and piercings.

_They're like pirates,_ I decided with a nod.

None of them were lashing out at me, however, and they seemed to be caught up doing whatever it was they were doing. I took this as a sign that maybe they weren't actually on the lookout for me. _Don't kid yourself, May! You're just another trainer, after all_!

I took the flight of stairs in a nearby hallway up to the second level, overhearing a grunt complaining about how they wouldn't even be at the museum if it weren't for… something to do with Rustboro.

_Gulp._

Fortunately, the second floor was deserted. I couldn't help but think that the amount of Team Aqua grunts randomly pouring into the Museum had scared the normal visitors off. _But not even a security guard…? That's kind of weird, isn't it? _

I surveyed the floor; off to my right were all sorts of intricate diagrams and models of submarines and ships, and to the left was a larger ship model along with some glass display boxes and futuristic-looking tubes holding different water samples inside. Standing in front of said ship was a solitary man wearing a simple lab coat, and holding a clipboard – definitely not part of Team Aqua – and I approached him hopefully.

"…Hm?" he turned from the model ship and removed his glasses. "Are you, perhaps, looking for a Captain Stern? That's me – oh! You must be the Mr. Stone's deliveryman, with the parts I've been waiting for, am I correct?"

I nodded. "How'd you guess…?" I muttered as I pulled them from my bag. "Here they are."

His face lit up upon taking them. "Thank you very much, miss! This is great. I can finally finish up that submarine, and get working on the expedition plans, and…"

Stern kept going on about the parts and their importance, while I sweated profusely. Team Aqua was _literally_ downstairs; shouldn't he be a little _quieter_, or,_ I don't know, trying to get the hell out of here?!_ I'd accepted already that the Devon Goods were undoubtedly what they were after. Despite this, though, I kept quiet, awkwardly adding in "it was no problem"'s and "interesting"'s when they were needed. _I-I came this far! I can't just be a pushy jerk to him!_

As though my worst fears were being realized, there were then footsteps coming from the stairwell; heavy footsteps. Lots of them. Stern paused in his lecture, and he and I moved our gazes over to the doorway. My stomach lurched.

Two Aqua grunts rounded the corner and made their way over to us. _Maybe they're just looking around… maybe… nope. _I stepped in front of Stern protectively and grimaced, pulling out Combusken's Pokeball.

"Alright, Stern," one of them cawed, hands in his pockets. "The Devon Goods? Just slide them right over here, and we'll be done."

Stern was confused. "Huh? Who are you people? And… why would I just _give_ you the Devon Goods? No, how do you even know about them? Have you spoken with the Devon President? …Miss, are these friends of yours?"

I coughed. "_Mr._ _Stern!_"

The other one laughed. "Because we're Team Aqua! What our boss wants, he gets! Now toss 'em the hell over, and call off your guard dog there, while you're at it!"

Captain Stern gasped. "Team Aqua? …Eep!"

"Don't even think about it," I warned Stern, voice tight. He looked as if he was actually _contemplating_ whether he should give up the Devon Goods or not. "These guys are nothing but jokes, trust me. You're not in any danger."

Even as I said that, however, a bead of sweat ran down my neck.

One of the grunts frowned and stepped forward. "Fine, then," he spat, pulling out a Pokeball. "Carvanha, go!"

The man's arm twisted and his Pokeball flew into the air. With a flash, the fish Pokemon appeared in front of him, flopping awkwardly on the ground. I, in turn, tossed out Combusken's Pokeball, and out came my battle-ready Fire-type, kneading the floor in anticipation.

The grunt grinned knowingly. "Give it a Water Gun, Carvahna!"

A burst of water came from the Pokemon's mouth, drenching Combusken, who immediately launched its counterattack.

"Double Kick!" I ordered.

The aquatic Pokemon, clearly out of its terrain, was no match; Combusken punted it into a wall at first, and then, to make sure it was out cold, turned and kicked it right back into the grunt. A small tinge of confidence diluted the fear that had collected in my gut as I nodded approvingly at my Pokemon.

"Tch, damn it!" he hissed, recalling Carvanha and elbowing the other grunt. "T-the boss is gonna kill us if we don't get those parts! Do something, you!"

The opposite grunt, older and holding a more serious look, stepped forward and called out two Pokemon; a Zubat and a Carvahna. In return, I threw out Poochyena's ball. _A double battle, huh…?_ I thought warily. _I don't have as much experience with those… but if this guy's as good as the last one, I should be okay… _

"Carvahna! Give it a Water Gun!" he shouted. "And Zubat, Supersonic!"

I raised an eyebrow. _The same approach?_ "Poochyena, take the Water Gun for Combusken!"

The Pokemon dashed towards Combusken, but was interrupted by the Zubat, whose Supersonic hit right on target, throwing it Poochyena into confusion. Carvanha's deluge then, in turn, hit Combusken, who was already worn down from the first battle and cried out in pain. I gritted my teeth. With Poochyena confused, I might as well be one Pokemon down; I couldn't risk it hurting itself, or hurting Combusken, on accident.

"Poochyena, stay where you are…! Combusken, run towards Carvanha and give it a Double Kick!"

"Counter it with another Water Gun, Carvanha!"

Combusken darted towards the water-type, which blasted more water its way. "Now, quickly Combusken, jump into the air!"

The Pokemon obeyed, strong feet pushing it upwards. The grunt gawked before shouting out to his Zubat to attack again.

Zubat then soared towards Combusken, who was still flying through the air, preparing a Supersonic, but I was prepared. "Hit it with Ember, midair, Combusken! While it's close!"

Just as the Zubat was taking in a breath, Combusken let its own out, releasing burning hot embers into the Pokemon's mouth and onto its leathery wings. With a cry, the Zubat fell to the ground and was called back into its ball.

Before the grunt could make another move, I then commanded Combusken – who had landed _behind _Carvanha – and Poochyena – who had recovered – to attack at once, with Double Kick and Bite respectively. The water-and-dark-type was pummeled between the two of my Pokemon, and the grunt forced to recall it. However, just as I was about to cheer, Combusken, too, fell to the ground.

"N-no!" I ran towards it, whipping out the Pokeball, as well as Poochyena's. It had undoubtedly fainted, but… Carvanha hadn't even used an attack on it…! _What _was _that…?!_

I didn't have time to think it over, though, and retreated back to Stern's side while the two grunts fumed in frustration.

"Shit! The boss is gonna have our heads! A-and if he doesn't by some kinda miracle, Amber will!"

"And all because of this stupid bullheaded trainer that won't stay the hell out of our business!" He clicked his tongue and gave me quite the glare.

I frowned and opened my mouth, about to ask about this '_boss'_ and his intentions, when my question was answered. More heavy footsteps filled the staircase, but this time, it was a single pair of feet.

I gulped.

A towering man stepped into the room, looking a little less dim-witted than the grunts. His arms were folded behind his back, though by the looks of it, he was… _ripped_. The man strolled up to the two grunts, giving each of them an unreadable gaze, and they cowered in response. His air of superiority was so strong that even I felt it, and took a step backwards.

_Wait… is this guy… _I got a better look at him, and found that he was _definitely_ dressed nicer than your average Aqua grunt. He still sported the same signature bandanna, but instead of the blue-and-white uniform, he wore sleek, black pants and a shirt of the same style that was half-open at the top, revealing some pretty scary muscles. Hung around his tanned torso was a beat-up chain necklace. Further down, clipping his shirt together, was a tiny, silver pendant; I recognized it as the same logo used on the Team Aqua bandanna. The man's face was very rugged looking, as well, angular like a shark's. His wide jaw was lined with a scraggly beard styled the same way you'd probably see a pirate style his.

The man looked from the grunts, to me, to Stern, and back to the grunts, with two calm, dark eyes, before saying in an even voice, "I came all the way up here to check in and find out _why _in the _world_ you two were taking so long…" his voice gradually rose, becoming sharper and more dangerous. I shared a mutual shiver of fear with the two defeated grunts. "…and it's because some amateur _kid_ was _holding you up_?"

The grunts were unable to meet the man's gaze, but I held my ground, despite the waves of fear and anxiety rocking about in my stomach.

"Unbelievable… but that can wait."

The grunts sighed as the man turned his piercing glare onto me.

"I don't believe we've met, miss. I am Archie, the leader of Team Aqua," he addressed me, calm again. _So, I was right, then…? _His mouth moved in a strange way, as though he were holding himself back from yelling, and his speech was surprisingly collected and formal. Both of his hands moved from behind him into his pockets."I must be mistaken. You are… the same trainer that interrupted a grunt of ours while he was working in the Rustboro area, are you not?"

_H-how… does he know that…?! _I thought with alarm, but I didn't reply and tried my best to hold eye contact.

"I thought so," he muttered. "Well, I feel bad for you, really. You misunderstand the intentions of Team Aqua, as many do."

I narrowed my eyes. '_Intentions'__…? Does he mean stealing precious information from important companies, like Devon…?_

"It's a noble cause, really. We only wish to expand the sea and the marine Pokemon habitat that it provides; this will, then, do good for all of Hoenn, Pokemon _and _people… For the entire world, perhaps." Archie hovered over to the model ship next to Captain Stern, who looked like he was about to wet himself. He placed a hand on the deck of the ship, and his little mustache pointed upwards as his mouth twisted into a smile. "All people… and all Pokemon."

I tried to say something, again, but I couldn't summon up my voice, so I just stood there, trying to look a little less like some random, harmless teenage girl and more like a hero of some sort. I was sure my "glare" just looked silly to someone as intimidating as him, though. _I don't know what_ _this guy's big idea is. Expanding the sea? What does that have to do with anything this 'Team Aqua' is doing? And how would that _benefit _anyone?! …How would someone even expand the sea, anyways? You can't just line up Water-type Pokemon and have them all use Hydro Pump, or something…!_

He sighed, and still using that faux-sophisticated tone, said, "Well, you must just be too young to understand. It's a shame. In fact, many people your age _have_ joined our ranks, still in that rebellious stage, wanting to help change the world. We _are_ activists, no more, you see. But, I suppose it can't be helped if you're too dim to realize the benefits of the expansion of the sea."

_What?!_

Something then changed in Archie's entire character. His formal, semi-polite personality had vanished, and a terrifying scowl formed on his face. One massive hand grabbed my collar and I was suddenly shoved against the wall, winded. "But listen: _do not _get in Aqua's way again. This is your last freebie. I don't care if you're some amateur trainer or the League Champion." He then let go, brushing off his dress shirt. "There'll be… consequences, if you do."

I struggled to catch my breath. My back slid against the wall until I was sitting down.

Archie gathered up the two disgruntled grunts and headed for the stairwell with a simple "Farewell!" and then he – and, I assumed, Team Aqua – was gone.

Stern rushed over to me. He appeared to finally have snapped out of his fearful daze. "Miss! Are you alright?"

"I'm okay," I mustered, waving off his help and getting back to my feet, "just a little winded, is all..."

He let out a breath of relief. "Whew, that was tense. Thank goodness the Devon Goods are safe and sound… But that Team Aqua, I don't know about them. I heard about their 'movements' and activism-like intentions, but the concept of oceanic expansion sure is suspicious…"

I nodded absently, gazing at the ship replica on the table. I realized then, with a bitter smile, that it was a model S.S. Anne, a famous cruise ship from Kanto.

"Well, now that I have these, we can finally start off on the expedition!" Stern said excitedly. "Here, take this TM as an expression of gratitude. You have made a very important, though indirect, contribution to the advancement of science, young one!"

Another TM was shoved into my hand, and before I could even react, Stern was gone with a quick "Excuse me!"

Feeling lightheaded, I took a moment to collect myself. "…Team Aqua wants me out of their way, huh…?" I murmured, anger welling up in my chest. "'Noble cause'… Expanding the sea… This is all weird. But they definitely don't have good intentions, not if they're trying to rob some innocent guy like Stern... and that whole thing with Devon… that goes way past 'activism,' doesn't it…?"

I realized that I was talking to myself, and not Combusken, my usual conversation partner, and moped back down the stairs to the lower floor – which was no longer infested with Aqua grunts, fortunately. It was late and a cold breeze was coming off of the water, but I ignored it and wandered Slateport's outer streets for a while before eventually returning to the Pokemon Center and curling up under the fresh sheets. I finally dozed off with a false sense of security, and a new problem gnawing away at my conscious.

* * *

**A/N: **Note about the flashback – I wasn't going to put it here originally, and saved flashbacks for way later in the story (or I might have just removed them overall) but I think the lighthouse scene was a good spot for one and little kid-May is cute as hell. They're meant to shed more light on her character and especially the interactions between Norman and her (there aren't any in this chapter's flashback) but I can understand if it feels too OOC or OC-y or something and I was debating whether to include it at all. That is Jasmine, too. I can't get over the headcanon that RS protag and Jasmine were bros before the events of RBYRSE but sorry if it does seem out of place since I'm trying to stay canonical. I promise it won't play a big part in/won't affect the main story haha


	10. Slateport Shenanigans

**Chapter 10 – Shenanigans in Slateport, Entanglement with Aqua**

"A-aah! This is more like it, isn't it, Mudkip?"

"_Kip!_"

Brendan stretched both of his arms and then sprawled out on his towel. Slateport City's beach had excellent weather today, and it was only going to get better, according to the forecast. The sky was clear, the sun was as bright and hot as always, and, of course, the beach life was nothing less than perfect. He yawned – the last couple of hours had been spent fluttering around the dunes, chatting up tourists and battling trainers. Slateport Beach was one of the biggest destinations in Hoenn, and attracted people from places all around the world. The sand was soft and cool and the ocean was a brilliant shade of cyan. Unlike the more remote Dewford, Slateport's waters were widely used for recreational boating rather than surfing.

He let out a puff of air in a sigh and rolled onto his back. Yes, the sun was extra intense, today – lazily, Brendan pulled out a pair of goggles from his bag and slung them over his eyes. The voices of other people carried over on the wind. There were two children playing in inner tubes off to the left, and an older couple bickering not too far behind him, and in the water there was a large group of college students he guessed were from a faraway region, by their accents.

_Oh, it's so nice out! _Thought the boy with a smile.

Suddenly there was a skidding noise, and sand was flung into Brendan's cheek, and then something cold rammed into his stomach, causing him to jolt upwards and his goggles to go flying through the air. They hit Mudkip in the head.

"Oof! What the…" he glanced down at his lap, where a volley ball now sat. "A ball?! Who the hell-"

"Sorry!" came an apologetic voice.

Brendan sat up further and glanced over past his bag to find a group of three or four girls his age dressed in some intense swimsuits standing there, looking concerned.

He wiped the bit of sweat from his brow and stood up. "Well, it's no problem!" His voice was thicker, now, but secretly the trainer was trying to catch his breath that the volley ball had forced from his lungs. He moved the ball underneath one arm, and, with the other, ran a hand through his dark hair. "Volleyball is quite the difficult sport, if I do say so myself." Brendan had never played volleyball in his life. "But, if I were the referee," he patted his abdomen and grinned, "I'd call that one a goal!"

The girls giggled at him, and Brendan chuckled along, completely ignorant of his mistake. Mudkip was at its feet now, barking angrily at its trainer for disrupting its sleep – the goggles were slung around its body and full of sand.

"Ha ha ha! I'm Brendan, by the way!" he held out a hand and they girls exchanged a glance before shaking it.

He continued his antics and played about with the volley ball for a little while, while not-so-inconspicuously admiring them – _they've gotta be from one of those faraway regions, I mean, look at th-_

"Hey! Isn't that that Steven Stone guy, over there?" one of them exclaimed, pointing over yonder.

A different girl gasped. "That is! Let's go see him!"

"Yeah!"

Brendan frowned before chasing after them. He held the ball up in the air. "H-hey, wait, hold on! Don't you want this back? I-I didn't even get your names!"

He followed the girls as they hurried towards what Brendan guessed was the only person on the whole beach not wearing a swimsuit. No, Brendan observed as he got closer, the guy was instead in full-blown business attire and dress shoes. He didn't look like he was overheated though, except for the fact that his jacket was unbuttoned. Brendan skidded to a stop behind the four girls, narrowing his eyes. The silver hair, the rings, the formal air he gave off… And the Skarmory standing alertly behind him, wings folded, steel feathers gleaming in the sunlight – _darn it,_ Brendan thought, _I should have brought my Pokedex! _… This was without a doubt the Hoenn League Champion, Steven Stone. Who _wouldn't_ recognize this guy up close?

* * *

"Let's go see him!"

Steven grimaced. He knew landing on the beach was a bad idea, but he hadn't had much of a choice – Skarmory had been exhausted, and he couldn't risk going into the city if Team Aqua was still around. But what he'd heard on the radio…

"_Apparently there was a massive gathering of the group Team Aqua at the Oceanic Museum! It wasn't until late at night that, according to witnesses, they all drained out of the building at once and disappeared. We don't know what happened, but there have been no reports of damage at the place. Museum founder Captain Stern tells us that he personally spoke to Team Aqua's leader, Archie-"_

He'd thought he was just overthinking, at first. The news report said Aqua had disappeared, come morning. But Steven also had prior experience with Aqua, and specifically, with the sly admin who'd been in charge of some kind of operation in Slateport. One thing led to another – the incident fit together like puzzle pieces. _It could have been that girl – what was her name, again…? Or another trainer like her. But my father said Stern called saying the Devon Goods were safe in his hands… So if _someone_ interrupted their plans… No, I'm probably just being paranoid. I have to keep moving._ He narrowed his eyes at a particular spot of the beach, and shifted. _But that…_

"Wow, I read a magazine article about you!"

"Can I have your autograph?!"

Steven cast a cautious glance over at Brendan and the girls, taking a step back towards Skarmory. Of all the times… His eyes flicked back over to the spot, and then widened. The person he had been observing had now turned around, allowing him to make out the logo on the headwear he'd previously assumed was a swimming cap but, now, realized was a bandana. He was walking towards the boardwalk leading back towards the city. No, he was following someone. But the grass and dunes were in the way – who was it? It couldn't possibly be…

"Yo, pretty boy! Are you just gonna ignore these beautiful ladies here asking for your autograph?" The guy standing behind the group pushed himself between two of the girls and scrunched up his face in irritation.

_I don't have time for this…!_ Steven thought, eyes darting across the rest of the shoreline – people were beginning to notice the commotion and gaze curiously over in his direction. _Think, Steven…_

* * *

Finally, the guy accepted a sheet of paper from one of the girls and began signing it. Brendan relaxed a little, proud of himself, and smiled.

Then Steven Stone instead shoved the paper he signed into Brendan's hand, giving him a grave expression that threw the boy off. "Uh, this is for the girls, not me. But I guess I wouldn't mind, like, battling you-"

"There's a man over there, at the boardwalk. This logo is on his hat. He's dangerous. Please follow him – I have to leave."

The guy's Skarmory spread out its wings. Brendan cringed at the thought of mounting it in this crazy heat – especially when wearing only swimming trunks. Steven nonetheless backed away from them and hoisted himself up onto the Pokemon's back.

The boy's eyes flicked down to the paper, where there was a rough sketch of what sort of resembled a skull-and-crossbones on it, and raised an eyebrow. "Hang on, what?"

Steven's hazy eyes met his and he frowned. He seemed unbelievably stressed out, in contrast to the carefree, cheerful setting of the beach – he definitely wasn't kidding around. "I'm with Devon Corporation. You will be rewarded if you assist me here."

With that, the Skarmory hopped off of the ground, wings catching the breeze, and sped across the water and into the sky.

Brendan grimaced, scrubbing the sand from his hair and mouth. _Uhg! The nerve of that guy. Hoenn needs a new champion, I swear…_ He glanced back towards the group of girls, who were now stomping away and muttering angrily to each other. _Darn… Well, then again, money from Devon? That's pretty special…! _The paper in his hands wrinkled as Brendan clamped his hand around it. _Let's do this!_

The boy fluttered back over to his spot on the beach and grabbed his goggles and t-shirt, and then began sprinting towards the city, a confident grin on his face. His eyes flicked upwards; there was a silhouette of what looked like a hawk far above him, circling around and drifting on the wind. "What, is he checking to see if I actually do it?" he called with a laugh.

The boardwalk quickly came to an end, giving way to burning hot pavement – and unfortunately, poor half-dressed Brendan did not have his shoes. He began, instead, hopping awkwardly after the man in the blue hat. "Stooop!"

His target turned around. Sure enough, there was the symbol that Steven Stone had drawn, in the center of his bandana. His eyes flicked back and forth again before narrowing at Brendan, and then, the man was running at full speed in the opposite direction, shoving through a crowd of people.

"Hey! What-" Brendan continued dancing after the man. _Now_ he was irritated. All he wanted to do was know why the League Champion had asked him to stop him!

The chase continued, and Brendan found that the man was unpredictable – he'd run straight forward for a few blocks, pushing through throngs of tourists, glance back, and then take a random turn down an alley or sidestreet. But luckily, Brendan knew Slateport like the back of his hand, as his family had taken him here for vacation dozens of times when he was younger. And from the looks of it, the man was taking the exact same path that led to the city's Pokemon Center. _But why there?_

They rounded a few more corners. Brendan's feet felt like they were about fall off, and his breathing was growing ragged. He contemplated just giving up when they suddenly burst into a large square – the center of downtown Slateport. At the other end, across a few streets, was the Pokemon Center. People had begun parting the way for the man and Brendan, now, and he took up the opportunity, pushing himself forward one last time. The man, however, seemed to be slowing down.

_Huh? What's he…_ Brendan's eyes wandered into the crowds and eventually stopped on a group of people that appeared to be a news crew – one of them was holding a mic, and the other, a giant camera. The lens was pointing at him. A grin stretched across his face as he turned towards it and gave a great big wave. "Hey, I'm on TV! Hi, Mom, Dad- Oops!"

Brendan stumbled, and things quickly escalated until he was lying face-down on the pavement. _Oof…_

Meanwhile, the footsteps ahead of him picked up again. Defeated, Brendan brought his head upwards, watching the man go…

…_Who is _that_?_ From this angle, through either side of the walls of people… Brendan spotted a single person also walking towards the Pokemon Center, seemingly unaware of the situation around them. They were far away, but… The way the man Brendan was after was moving, he could have sworn he was chasing that person. _And come to think of it, didn't I also see them ahead of us a few blocks back, too?_

With a grunt, Brendan brought himself to his knees and narrowed his eyes even more. _Wait a second… That item on his belt…_ No, it couldn't be, he told himself. But the object poorly tied to the man's waist was undoubtedly a blade of some sort. A dagger, or a machete… But why…

"_He's dangerous. Please follow him – I have to leave."_

The trainer's brows rose to his hairline as he realized why Steven Stone had had him chase this man. _That trainer… Don't tell me he's going to…!_

Beady eyes met Brendan's as the man glanced back over his shoulder. He then dove into a crowd of people so as to escape, one hand on the weapon…

"Mudkip!" Brendan ordered, "go after him! I'll catch up!"

"Kip!" The little Pokemon scurried ahead. Brendan forced himself to his feet, taking a breath and brushing the dirt from his shirt and arms, before rushing into the crowd after them.

After a few moments, there were gasps of surprise and yells from the other people in the square, and then they all began to simultaneously move backwards. _Don't tell me he actually…_ Brendan knew what had happened, and was able to get a view of it just a few moments later. The man had drawn his knife and was closing in on the trainer, who still was unexpectedly walking into the Pokemon Center just a little ways away. Cries of surprise came from the startled people around him.

"What are you doing?"

"Hey! Stop!"

"Police! Police!"

But Brendan, too, was closing in, and Mudkip had already shot out a Mud Slap at the ground around the man, causing him to lose his footing.

"Time for my paycheck!" the boy exclaimed as he took one tremendous leap and tackled the man. The blade went rolling off into the curb of a sidewalk, far from the man's reach. "I don't know why I'm doing this, but Devon Co.'s gonna give me a ton of money if I do, so, sorry!" He said with a sweet grin.

"Geh! Get off me, kid! Don't mess with me!" the man responded, flipping Brendan around so that he was the one pinned to the hot pavement. "I won't let any more scum like you get in my way!"

One bony fist was brought up above the man's shoulder as he readied a punch. Brendan, meanwhile, was aghast. "Huh? Scum? Is that right?! Me, _scum_?!"

The ball of rage came hurtling downwards, but Brendan was faster – and angrier. He jerked forwards, bringing his forehead into a collision with the man's lower jaw. There was a sickening crack, and then the man's fist met the pavement rather than its target. He cried out in pain and backed off, giving the boy the opportunity to squirm out from beneath him.

"_SCUUUUUUM_?!" Brendan taunted as he got to his feet and threw one accusing finger towards his foe. "Hah! See what a Birch can do while they're cornered, you low-life!"

The man, seething and groveling, fled into a nearby alley, leaving a number of curses in his wake. But Brendan was unaffected, and instead crossed his arms proudly. "Heh! You won't get that in a Pokemon Contest, folks!"

The crowd gathered around began clapping, and, much to Brendan's surprise, the news crew from before approached him. He was offered a microphone by a teal-haired woman.

"That was a nice move, trainer! What are your feelings on the incident?"

A brilliant grin appeared on the boy's face. "My feelings? Well, I'll feel great once I get that check in the mail from Devon signed to Brendan Birch in return for scaring off that goon for them! You guys catch my hint?"

There were _oohs_ from the surrounding crowd, and the reporter woman laughed. "Tell us, were you the trainer at the Oceanic Museum last night that stopped Team Aqua?" Her eyes sparkled. The cameraman appeared to be similarly interested in the subject.

Brendan only raised an eyebrow and set his hands on his hips. "What? 'Team Aqua'? No. Why would I go to the museum, anyways? That kind of thing is boring for me."

Promptly, the mic was taken from Brendan's hands, and the reporters walked away, looking crestfallen. He made a questioning look at them before shrugging and heading back to the beach, Mudkip in trail.

* * *

I spent a number of days more in Slateport. The run-in with Team Aqua had opened up a hole of self-doubt inside me, and unfortunately, I had no one to cheer me up and get me back on my feet due to the fact that there was no way I was letting anyone else know about how involved I'd got with the organization. _He's right, _I thought as Archie's words from the encounter echoed through my head. _I'm just some trainer with two gym badges. I beat those grunts, sure, but the boss didn't even _try _to battle me – could he be _that _strong?_

Combusken, on the other hand, was driven for some reason, and was constantly dragging me out to Route 109 to train. Over the time we were in Slateport after the Museum incident, the majority of it was spent at the beach, pinning my Pokemon both against each other, and against other trainers (including some drunk sailor, as well as a girl that didn't know how to swim, so was pretending to do so on the beach.) I even managed to fight my way through some kind of battle-restaurant, but I still wasn't reassured that I would be able to fight off Team Aqua and Archie, even at their worst. It ate away at me. 'C_onsequences'? Why do I feel like I'll still end up running into them again anyways? What _if_ I run into them again?_

"I still don't know if I'll be able to defend myself, if he comes after us, you guys," I mentioned to my Pokemon one day, lounging on a beach chair near the lighthouse, where it was a little less crowded. The busyness of the city had gotten to me. "Or any high-ranked Team Aqua member, to be honest. It sounds like they're a huge organization..."

"_Aron, aron!_" chirped the Steel-type, head-butting the side of my chair and sending me tumbling into the sand.

"Uck!"

My Pokemon laughed to themselves, and I grimaced. _I really need some _actual _friends, don't I…_

As if on cue, my Pokenav began to ring. I jumped up and pulled it from my bag.

The caller ID was, thankfully, not 'Norman'. Instead, it was an unregistered number. I anxiously hit the answer button and held it up to my ear…

"_Hello! Is this May?" _came a familiar voice.

After a short pause, I responded, "Yes. This is…"

"_Roxanne, the Gym Leader of the Rustboro City Gym!"_

"…Oh! That's where I recognize the voice from…" I muttered to myself. "Did you need something?"

"_Well, Brawly had told me that you're rapidly advancing as a trainer! I'd just like to call and let you know that my gym will definitely continue training, so as to challenge you again in the future, May – I'm not yet convinced that I can't beat you."_

"Oh… Brawly?" I scoffed. "Well, okay then…! When that time comes, I'll accept your challenge, Roxanne." My curiosity then got the best of me: "but, is Brawly the one that gave you this number?"

There was silence at the other end, and then, _"Erm, maybe… …Well, I'm looking forward to the battle!"_

I stifled another snicker. "Okay, then, see you."

"_Goodbye…!"_

Mildly entertained and no longer worrying about Team Aqua's presence, I shut the Pokenav and continued laughing to myself at the idea of the huge, athletic Brawly and the petite, studious Roxanne even in the same room together- _wait… How the hell did Brawly_ _even get my number?!_

* * *

The following day, the weather was less forgiving. High winds tore at the beach suites on the shoreline, and the skyscrapers jutting up from the streets around the Pokemon Center almost appeared to be swaying, though that may have just been my imagination. The TVs blared with weather advisories and sheets of rain drummed on the roof above. Sableye and I spent a good amount of time looking out of the bedroom window, watching the roads collect more and more water, before deciding to try something wild.

"Let's go outside," I said with a grin.

If Sableye could make a concerned expression, it would have, but it instead just tilted its head at me.

I patted it playfully. "Come on! I've never seen rain this heavy. Besides, there's no lightning yet, so we should be fine!"

The Pokemon gritted its teeth as it followed me out of the Pokemon Center guest room and into the lobby. I earned a number of raised eyebrows as I neared the doors and took a complementary umbrella off of the coatrack.

"You're not… going out, are you?" asked the nurse incredulously.

I frowned. "Yeah, just for a walk. It's just a little rain."

Sableye shook its head.

The doors zipped open as I approached them, and the sound of the rain became even louder – loud enough that the words of advice Nurse Joy was trying to give me were completely drowned out. My eyes flicked down to Sableye, who crawled up to my shoulders and clung on for its life.

"Alright, let's go!"

* * *

"That was a horrible idea," I thought out loud with a frown.

I took another sad look at the object in my hands that was once an umbrella. After a few minutes, there had been one powerful gust of wind that had bent it only slightly, but enough so that it wouldn't properly shield me from the rain. To make matters worse, there was now thunder and lightning, and it was close by, illuminating the streets and alleys around me like a strobe light. I was also completely lost – the Pokemon Center's red roof and welcoming lights were nowhere to be seen, and the blocks surrounding me were all without power, making them unrecognizable.

I huffed. Thankfully, Sableye had stayed out of its ball and was guiding the way with Flash.

Soaking wet and chilled to the bone, we rounded another few corners before I widened my eyes. It was like a beacon in the night, a light in the darkness, a city in the middle of the desert – it was… it was… the Contest Hall?

I thought back to the brochure I'd skimmed about 'Pokemon Contests' again in my head. Yes, the building was without a doubt the Contest Hall it had mentioned, and with how lit up and populated it was, an event must have been going on…

With nowhere else to go, I scampered towards the building and through the automatic blue doors.

A blast of air conditioning hit me, making me even colder than I already was, but I was too awed by my surroundings to be bothered by it. To call the Contest Hall's interior roomy would be an understatement, and this wasn't even the arena where matches were held. Everything was new and clean, and… pink. People that looked like Pokemon trainers – they had all kinds of Pokemon standing obediently at their side – stood in a long line that snaked back and forth along either side of the lobby. I raised my eyebrows and walked over to the right side of the hall, sitting down in a chair and observing. _Is that the line to get in and see the show? I didn't know it was this popular…_

A man nearby seemed to notice my expression and explained the basics of Contests. They were, I realized, like battles, except you didn't actually _battle _another Pokemon. It was, more or less, showing off your own Pokemon's moves. The people in line were not trainers, but Coordinators – people that specialized in contests like a trainer would in battles. I thought about entering Combusken, but it was then that the man also told me that this was a 'Hyper Contest' hall, and if I wanted to enter, I'd need to go to a lower level one in a place called Verdanturf Town.

Just as he finished speaking, a blaring voice echoed across the lobby: "The first contest starts in 5 minutes! Please take your seats if you are spectating, or stay in line if you are entering for a later contest!"

I blinked and got to my feet. _I should hurry!_

* * *

The inner hall was unbelievably packed. It was like the entire population of Slateport City, tourists included, had been shoved into a single room. I somehow found a seat on the first level near the back that was open, as were the two on either side of it, and collapsed into it. _It's better than being in the rain, at least._

Noticing that I was still dripping wet, I took off my bandana and began wringing it out. _At least the Running Shoes are waterproof._

After a few more minutes, the lights began to dim and the chatter of the crowed died down some. I watched the stage in anticipation. The floor was similar to a battle stadium, like one you'd see in a Pokemon Gym, but was marked differently and was much more elegant. All around it were pink curtains and other decorations. I wondered if they'd use them in the show or not. At the far end of the floor was a desk where an old man I assumed was the judge was now getting situated at.

A spotlight then beamed down at the side closer to me, and four figures appeared out from the shadows, all in line. Cheers erupted from the audience around me, and I flinched. _Loud!_

The voice of the announcer came on again: "Please welcome our first four contestants! Jeremy, Alicia, Hina, Thomas, we hope you're ready to give us a show!" _Louder!_

The four bowed. The Pokemon standing next to them were all unfamiliar to me, and unfortunately, they were out of the Pokedex's range. The announcer began reading them off – Gulpin, Swellow, Zangoose, and Beautifly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted two men approaching my row, and I gulped. They bickered a little on the stairs before turning and sitting down in the two seats next to me. Yes, they were quite interesting. The one on my right was wearing a plain black baseball cap and huge sunglasses, along with jeans and a sweatshirt. His hair was an unusual, bright teal color. On the other side was a man holding a completely different air – his hair was gelled and styled, and he was older, sporting a small moustache on his upper lip. A huge cravat hung off of his neck and he wore a lengthy, designer trench coat that made shivering little me a bit jealous. _Is this guy… his dad? No, maybe a relative?_

I kept my eyes trained on the stadium as the contestants began performing, but distraction came easily. The two men would not stop talking!

"These seats are horrible. I can't see a thing," the first one began. His voice was deeper than expected, but also hushed.

"Hush. Watch the trainer with the Swellow. You could learn a thing or two from him."

Silence.

"That was a bad move. Now his Pokemon won't be able to do anything next turn," muttered the younger one again, softly. "This contest is over. Let's go wait it out until the next one, sir."

"No. We will stay."

He sighed.

The contest slowly moved onwards, and I had no way of figuring out who was in the lead except from the man's narration. Some of the moves the trainers did were exciting, but I certainly didn't get the same thrill watching them twirl around as I did watching a battle.

The air conditioning came back on, at one point, and I realized then why no one had picked this seat – it was right below a vent. I had to fight to keep my teeth from chattering, and meanwhile, a group of young men who seemed to have only come to the contest to make fun of how girly it was had squeezed in in the row behind us. They began loudly chomping on popcorn and chuckling.

Minutes passed and the group still did not quiet down. The two sitting next to me had gone silent, too, shifting in their seats as though they wanted to act but couldn't.

So I took it upon myself.

Placing one hand on the chair's armrest, I took in a breath, put on the most threatening expression I could muster, and turned around. The man next to me raised a curious eyebrow.

The group of men, now that I got a good look at them, was by no means intimidating. They all wore big, jagged grins on their faces, and must have had just a few years on me. One of them began nudging his friends as he noticed my glare.

"Hey, could you please quiet do-"

_Pop! Fwshh….._

Water – no, it wasn't water, obviously it wasn't, it _stunk_ – went running down my face and neck and onto the chair. It was soda, or beer, or something in that category. I brought my hands to my face and began rubbing my eyes as laughter erupted in front of me.

"Hahaha! What, so you can watch your Pokemon dances?"

"Just turn your little head around, and ignore us, alright?"

My blood boiled. The nerve of them! Ignoring the sting as I reopened my eyes, I grabbed Combusken's Pokeball. _We'll see who's laughing when I break all of your jaws!_ I flicked my finger over the button in the center of the device and in an explosion of light, the equally enraged Pokemon materialized in front of me in a fighting stance…

* * *

...A sigh escaped from my lips as I plopped down in a couch in the Slateport Contest Hall's now empty lobby. I'd gotten most of the drink off of my face in the bathroom, but my hair and shirt still stunk and I'd done it at the cost of getting my clothes wet again. Outside, the storm was raging on, preventing me from going back to the Pokemon Center. I sighed and rested my chin in my hand as I stared out the window. The security guard that'd pulled me out of the auditorium stood at the entrance now, leering in my direction.

_I guess I should get going soon. I've been so unmotivated to challenge the next gym, but that's only because…_ My eyes flicked over to Sableye, who was sprawled out on the couch, one claw lazily scratching its belly.

_"Yes, we've just received report that the man has been bailed out by an anonymous accomplice."_

"_Really? Could they also be a member of Team Aqua?"_

I straightened. _What was that…? The… television? _There were two on either side of the lobby, mounted on the walls – one was playing the final footage of the contest going on, while the other was on Slateport's local news station. The voices belonged to two news anchors, both with easy looks on their faces. I turned towards the screen and stood up. _Aqua? Arrested?_

"_Well, that _is _a bit of a leap, but you know, we _have _been getting a number of witness reports stating that the man was wearing a banana _awfully _similar to the ones worn by your every day Aqua Joe. What could this mean?"_

"_I'm not sure, but he could just be a leftover from the big event in the Museum the other day."_

"_By the way, is this, by any chance, _related _to that?"_

"_We just can't say. The fact that it might have been a Team Aqua member says so, but the footage provided by Ty and Gabby says otherwise."_

The screen switched from the news office to a chaotic scene in downtown Slateport. The camera quickly came into focus, and I froze.

_That's… Brendan?_ I leaned forward. A young man was rushing towards the Pokemon Center. _That's definitely Brendan. Then… that man that he's chasing…_ The camera was shaking some, and I heard the reporter say something about difficulty following the chase, but it was unmistakably an Aqua member that Brendan was hurrying after. A bead of sweat rolled down my forehead. From what the anchor was saying and what I heard on the footage, Brendan had caught up with the man, and, with the help of Mudkip, tackled him and scared him off.

I sat back down on the couch, sinking into the obnoxious, pink leather with a sigh. _What does this mean? Is Brendan a part of this, too?_ My heart lifted in excitement, and I fumbled around in my pocket for my Pokenav. _Does that mean I can talk to him about this? About Aqua? Does he know more about them? Maybe… if we could just team up, I might have a better chance against Archie…!_

I highlighted Brendan's name, holding my finger above the send button, sweating, when suddenly something in the blabber on the television caught my attention.

"Tell us, were you the trainer at the Oceanic Museum last night that stopped Team Aqua?"

Brendan raised his eyebrows, and I did, too. _The Museum…? They're… They're talking about me…! _Then he spoke. _"What? 'Team Aqua'? No. Why would I go to the museum, anyways? That kind of thing is boring for me."_

My hopes were crushed. _The way he said it – the way he looked… He definitely… doesn't know anything about it, does he…_ The news program cut back to the anchors once again discussing their conspiracy theories, or defending Team Aqua, or whatever else. I tuned out, absently playing with the Pokenav. I'd noticed that I had a single missed call earlier in the week, but had ignored it and then forgot. The little notification box sitting in the corner of the Pokenav's display reminded me of it, and I clicked around a little until the phone number showed up.

_Huh?_ I shifted. _Wait…_

Steven Stone_ was the name of the contact whose call I'd missed…?_ There were two others, since I first got the Pokenav, one from Norman and one from Brendan, though the dates on them were back around the time that I first arrived at Slateport from Mr. Briney's boat. Steven's call, however, was recent, but the time… _Three o'clock in the morning? What does he think I am, nocturnal…?_ I shifted again, anxiously. _Why did he call, anyway? He didn't leave a message. Was it just about the Devon Goods?_

"_Anyways, I heard the Aqua man was arrested for attempting assault. What was that all about?"_

"_It's all foggy. Just like that Team Aqua! We know he was carrying a weapon, though, and that he was after someone, or some_thing_. He started waving it around before that boy tackled him."_

My thoughts moved from the Pokenav back to the news program. _Arrested, huh…?_ I thought. _Maybe that will ruin their reputation a little, then… E-either way, it's not my problem anymore. It's the news people's problem, it's Brendan's problem, it's the cops' problem, it's Steven's problem… Wait a second…_ I widened my eyes and dove into thought once again. _That place… I know that place._

Eyes flicking back to the television display, I focused. They were showing a clip of the chase in slow motion, focusing on the man and talking about this or that. But I was interested in the picture itself. It seemed to be… Downtown Slateport, as I'd first assumed. Specifically, the big intersection where the Pokemon Center was. But, the date… _I was definitely at the beach that day. There's no way he was going after me._

The screen cut off, switching to an interview with two girls on Route 109. I half-listened, stopping when they mentioned that the chase had apparently started on the shoreline.

"…_Yeah, he just took off after this other guy, the one with the bandana. It was, like, three PM, or something."_

_Three?_ I flicked through my Pokenav again. _My call with Roxanne was at one. But… I didn't leave until…_

"_There were a lot of people leaving then, so no, we didn't really, like, see if he was following anyone."_

"_I see!"_

I stood up, all of the sudden, eyes wide. Sableye paused and gave me a curious look.

"We're going," I said, picking it up and running out into the rain.

* * *

I burst through the door of the Pokemon Center, breathing heavily, and marched up to the front desk.

"Oh! May, is there something you need…" asked the nurse, looking up from her magazine. "Oh, my! You actually-"

"I… took a taxi back here…" I managed, meeting her gaze. "I was wondering if you knew what time I checked in the other day. Thursday, I think it was… In the afternoon?"

"Sure! I'll just check the records on the machine here, with the Pokemon you had – a Combusken, was it? – and…"

The woman tinkered around with the basic healing machine for a moment before nodding and turning back over to me with a sweet smile. "Yup, that's it! Three-fifteen in the afternoon."

Everything seemed to stop. Everything except the radio playing on Nurse Joy's desk. The voice of the news anchor was perfectly clear in my ears, above the pattering of the rain and the rumbling of thunder and the voices coming from the other rooms – _"The footage itself was taken at exactly three-thirteen in the afternoon, so the time those girls on the beach gave would match up perfectly, given that it might take a little longer than that to get into the center of downtown Slateport by foot. The man must have taken the quickest path there from-"_

"Hm? May? May, are you alright?"

The nurse's voice drifted into my mind.

"…Yes. I'm fine. Thank you, ma'am."

* * *

I quietly shut the door behind me and slumped into the bed. Outside, the storm had only worsened. After a few moments of staring at the window I shot upwards and brought the blinds down as fast as possible. My head was spinning. _If it's true that that Aqua guy was following me, then that means… The knife… he-he was trying to… But there's no way. I didn't- that couldn't have been Archie, Archie was wearing a black suit- and… and now… _I glanced at the window once again. _And now whoever that was is still out there. They bailed him out. As easy as that. They'll probably cover up the fact that it was Team Aqua, too… _I bit my lip, setting one hand on my forehead. _What do I do…?_

A strange noise came from the door, and I jerked to the right in surprise. There was a small figure, and then two gleaming eyes, and I relaxed realizing that it was only Sableye, with my bag in trail. I smiled and sat up.

"Thanks, Sableye…"

* * *

**A/N: I**f anyone didn't catch it, that was just a brief cameo of Wallace and Juan there. I hope Juan is in the remakes, he was pretty cool, and I wouldn't mind Wallace being Champion like he was in Emerald (you'd get to fight endgame Steven anyways in Meteor Falls). Promise I won't go _too_ far out of the way like I did with this chapter for a while, though, and include extra scenes that weren't remotely close to being in the game or anything.

Thanks for reading! Again, the next chapter will definitely be out sooner this time now that I'm done with this one section. And feedback via a review is always appreciated!


	11. VS Brendan!

**A/N: **Big apology for how long this one took, too. And it's a pretty short chapter... I've had a very busy summer and I had to edit the battle with Brendan a lot! orz

* * *

**Chapter 11 – Rival Battle! Route 110**

It was the day after that that we finally hit the road again, with new resolve. Combusken and I waved goodbye to the grand city of Slateport, and headed north. In the Pokeballs at my belt were Wingull, Poochyena, Sableye, and Aron – who was still very mischievous, but much stronger nonetheless. I was fully aware of where we were going, too, after studying on the Pokenav for hours on end. Mauville City was the closest place with a Pokemon Gym, led by a man named Wattson, and there were two ways to get there; a bike-only overpass, and a long route called Route 110 that meandered out into one of Hoenn's many bays.

We passed by an old yellow building on the water's edge that I assumed to be the bike-road checkpoint. From the wooded area beyond the house emerged a long, steel walkway that climbed into the sky and continued over the water and into the horizon. It gleamed in the sunlight, and I silently wished I had a bike.

Not long after that, I noticed a familiar face jogging towards me.

"Hello!" exclaimed Professor Birch. "I wasn't expecting to see you here!"

I blinked. "What do you mean?"

"…Oh, I see! You two must be traveling separately, then…"

I squinted. _You two? Don't tell me he's talking about… Brendan?_

"Well, I suppose you should register me in your Pokenav, so you can call me about the Pokedex if you need help, or a check-in!" he told me with a grin, and I handed him the device without protesting. "Also, Norman would probably torch my lab if I didn't… But I understand where he's coming from all too well, ahahaha!"

I smiled gingerly. "H-honestly… I'm perfectly capable…" _He should just mind his own business…!_ "So, then, is Brendan around…?"

Birch seemed to sober at this. "Yes, I just saw him further up the path there. But please," it was strange to see the jolly man this serious, "keep an eye out for him, for me, okay?"

I wasn't used to Birch's seemingly protective side, but nodded anyways, and waved as he headed off in the opposite direction. _Geez, where did he even come from…?_

* * *

Ahead of me and behind me stretched a narrow, grassy pathway that cut across a salt-water inlet of some kind that sparkled brilliantly under the afternoon sun. The air was heavy and humid, and it would have been unbearably hot had it not been for the breeze coming from either sides of the road. Now and then, the path would pass underneath the cycling road, providing a cool patch of shade to rest in.

"Uhg! I could go for a swim right now," I thought with frustration, leaning over the side of the pathway and gazing into the water. "I can't believe that Electrike got away."

Sableye hissed. It was squatted down in the grass, pulling out little blades one by one. I could tell it shared my feelings.

"Huh? Heya, May!"

I jumped. _That voice is… _"Oh. Hi, Brendan."

The trainer wore a huge grin as he approached me, putting what looked like a Great Ball back into his bag.

"Umm… What are you so happy about?" I inquired as I called back Sableye to its Pokeball.

He whipped the Great Ball back out and spun it on his fingertip as though he'd been waiting for my comment. "Well, I'm glad you asked! I just caught a new Pokemon, you see. That only leaves one more I need from this route, until I can move on to Mauville."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, okay… Uh… What kind of Pokemon is it?"

His grin expanded from ear to ear now. "An Electric-type, Electrike!"

I almost fell over. _There's no way…! That can't be the same one I was going after!_

"Anyways, how have you been with your Pokemon? Good? Bad? How about a battle, so I can find out? I can show you my other Pokemon, too," the trainer chimed, leaning over the wall in the same pose I was.

I tentatively glanced over at him, reaching for a Pokeball at my side. "…Okay, Brendan. You're on."

He leaped backwards all of the sudden, planting his feet in an open spot a number of yards away, and pulled out a different Pokeball.

We tossed them at the same time; out of his came a Numel, and out of mine, Aron.

"An Aron!" Brendan exclaimed, scanning it with his Pokedex. "Interesting, interesting."

I remained silent, and let Brendan take his turn.

"Ember, Numel!"

_This battle could get bad,_ I thought. _Aron is part Steel-type… but…_

"Iron Defense!"

Aron's silver armor shone in the intense sunlight, and began to glimmer and steam as Ember came into contact with it. The Pokemon squeaked in pain, and flinched, but stayed on its feet.

"…Huh?" Brendan placed his hands on his hips and pointed at me accusingly. "May, what are you thinking? Iron Defense doesn't protect against an attack like Ember!"

_I know that, _I thought, _but that's not the only thing Iron Defense can do…_

I clenched my fists. "Now, Rock Tomb!"

Numel cried in surprise as rocks began crashing into the earth around it, preventing movement and obscuring much of its vision. The Rock Tomb strategy – I'd thought of it just a few days ago – wasn't fully perfected, and I'd only tested it out once or twice, but I had faith in Aron and frankly didn't have much of a choice. It was rather simple: Aron would spread the rocks out following a certain pattern. Four boulders would surround the Pokemon's back, like a semicircle, and three more would spread themselves in front of the Pokemon. This way, the opponent would be disoriented due to how close the rocks were, and if they wanted to land a physical attack on Aron, they would have to maneuver through the three rocks in front of them – more taxing for stubby Pokemon like Numel than it was for nimble ones.

I shifted nervously. _If I can just deal with that Fire-type attack, then I can make it through this…_

"Now, Aron, get in there and give it your strongest Metal Claw!"

Brendan, thinking he was one step ahead of me, grinned. "Numel, don't let Aron get near you! Aim your Ember at the gap between the rocks!"

And so the other half of my plan came into effect; _though the three boulders make movement difficult, it's also a great defensive position. The enemy Pokemon can see the other coming… If Aron tried to go through one of the gaps between Rock Tomb, it'd get burned to a crisp. But…_ I squinted at Aron. Its armor was glowing, not only because of the Iron Defense, but also because of how hot the steel shell actually was. _The moment of truth! _"Go, Aron!"

The Steel-type leaped into the air, flinging itself at one of the rocks, head-first, at an amazing speed.

Brendan gawked. "What-"

_Crash! _Aron slammed into the boulder, blasting right through it like a bullet and landing on the ground behind Numel.

"Numel! E-Ember…!"

"Metal Claw, Aron!"

The two Pokemon clashed, but Numel, like I'd thought, was unable to recover quick enough to properly defend itself. To make matters worse for Brendan, Aron was all fired up after its successful Rock Tomb, and was moving like it never had before.

After a few seconds, both Pokemon exploded from the chamber of rocks, sending dust everywhere and both of themselves tumbling in the opposite direction. I frowned. _Did it… work…?_

I caught a glimpse of Brendan's shocked expression, but only for a moment, and moved my eyes to Numel; it wasn't even making an effort to get back to its feet. He recalled the Pokemon and readied another ball while I gawked in surprise.

"Hmph! That was quite the strategy, May!" he said, rubbing his nose. "But Numel is only my first Pokemon."

Aron limped back over to me, clearly in need of a rest, and I recalled it, taking out a different Pokeball for the next round. "The same goes for you, Brendan."

In a flash of light, a small mushroom-like Pokemon appeared between us – Shroomish. I recalled our showdown near Oldale Town as I readied my ball – it felt like ages ago. The Shroomish (which immediately reminded me of the Devon employee, of course) was a Grass-type, I knew, which meant I could…

"Combusken, go!"

Brendan still had that smirk on his face, despite having the type disadvantage. I gulped. "Tackle!"

Shroomish moved forward at an alarmingly fast speed.

"Counter with Peck, Combusken!" I ordered.

The two attacks met, and both Pokemon flew backwards in recoil. Shroomish must've taken more damage, though, I thought as I narrowed my eyes at it; Peck was a Flying-type move, after all.

"Good, Combusken," I called. "Now, give it an Ember!"

"Tackle again, Shroomish!" Brendan shouted. Shroomish once again ran at full force towards Combusken, who…

Who was not moving…?

"Combusken, come on! Ember! Dodge! Something-"

_Bam!_

The Fighting-type went flying through the air, landing at my feet in a heap. My eyes widened. "Combusken… Wh…"

Brendan let out a tremendous laugh. "You didn't realize!?"

"Why the hell are you s-sleeping, you stupid bird!" I exclaimed in agony, tugging at my hair.

"Leech Seed!"

It was useless! I kept talking to Combusken, trying to motivate it, but it just sat there, snoring. And little by little, Shroomish was sucking the life out of it and rejuvenating itself. _This isn't a coincidence… He must've known I would use Combusken, a physical attacker, against Shroomish…!_

The ground around the Pokemon glowed as Leech Seed continued to absorb its energy.

"Come _on_, Combusken!" I exclaimed, losing my patience. "How are we going to get past Mauville's gym – no, _anywhere_ – if you get taken down by a single _Shroomish_?"

Something must have ignited within the Fire-type, because its eyes flew open and it sprung back up to its feet. I grinned. It took a fighting stance once more, but was definitely still off-balanced and weakened.

Brendan shrugged. "Oh, well. You _do_ know the 'sleep' effect only lasts a few turns, right, May? Hit it with another Tackle and finish this, Shroomish!"

"_Shroom!"_

_No Peck, _I thought. _Nothing physical. I can't have Combusken fall asleep again…_

I waited, both for Shroomish to get close, and for Combusken to gather itself, and right when as the Grass-type hopped off of the ground to execute its attack, I ordered an Ember out of my Pokemon. It obeyed, and the Ember – hardly an Ember really, because it was amplified by Combusken's Blaze ability – was so intense that it not only singed Shroomish but sent it rolling back all the way to Brendan's feet.

The boy raised his eyebrows, and he stared at Combusken for a moment before recalling the fallen Shroomish. But he didn't look discouraged at all. There was, instead, some kind of fire in his eyes – he was giving me a look like he knew he was going to win. I shot a glare back at him, as Combusken hopped from foot to foot energetically.

"Go, Marshtomp!"

_Marshtomp?_

I retrieved my Pokedex as a chubby blue Pokemon materialized in front of us.

"_Marshtomp, the Mud Fish Pokemon, and the evolved form of Mudkip. Marshomp is much faster at traveling through mud than it is at swimming. This Pokemon's hindquarters exhibit obvious development, giving it the ability to walk on just its hind legs._"

Combusken bristled and hopped even faster. It was clearly agitated, and I could see why; this was its childhood rival, after all.

"Combusken, get ready! If it uses Water Gun, counter it with your strongest Ember!" I said, thinking back again to the first battle.

However, Brendan had other plans, apparently. "Mud Shot, Marshtomp!"

I – we – were completely unprepared for that. Before my Pokemon and I could even react, a blast of mud slammed into Combusken and continued rushing forward past my own feet. I made a face at my dirtied Running Shoes, but Combusken was of greater concern; it was sprawled out on the ground, unmoving… _knocked out?_ By _that_?

"May, May, you're forgetting that Marshtomp is also part Ground-type, now," Brendan taunted. "Ground is super effective against Fire!"

I called back my defeated Pokemon with a frown and clipped its ball back onto my belt, barking defensively, "I-I know that...!"

I considered my options for a moment, and then decided to choose Poochyena; he hadn't had a lot of action, lately, anyways. "I'm putting my trust in you, Poochyena," I told the Pokeball quietly before throwing it. The pup emerged from the Pokeball and growled, awaiting commands. I knew it didn't look like much, but I had trained Poochyena as much as any other Pokemon back on the beach, and it had finally come to trust me as its trainer.

Brendan made a beckoning gesture, as though he were giving the first attack to me.

"Growl, Poochyena!"

Marshtomp flinched as Poochyena let out an intimidating grumble; now was my chance. I'd practiced this strategy dozens of time on the beach. "Hurry, get in close and use Bite!" I knew two of Marshtomp's attacks already; Mud Shot and Water Gun. It relied on ranged attacks… so if we could just exploit that weakness…

"Marshtomp, snap out of it, and aim your Mud Shot around you!" Brendan called in response.

The amphibious Pokemon began spewing mud all over the place –not directly any any_thing,_ though. A clump of it hit Poochyena, which only made it even _more _furious, but by the time it was closing in on Marshtomp, the entire battlefield was swamped. Poochyena lost its momentum and ended up falling face-first into the muck.

"Good job. Now, Bide!"

_Bide?_ I thought. _Isn't that… an attack where the user has to store power, and…_

"Poochyena, get up! Attack Marshtomp, hurry!" I yelled.

Poochyena finally got to its feet, after much struggling, and made its way towards Marshtomp again. Unfortunately, the mud had collected quite a bit at the area around Marshtomp, like a barrier, making movement difficult.

For Poochyena, at least.

"Marshtomp, keep away from it! Keep storing power!" Brendan seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He had an intricate strategy. I was surprised. And frustrated. _Very_ frustrated.

Marshtomp swerved out of Poochyena's path. Again and again, Poochyena closed in, only for its target to speed around it and evade.

_Damn it! What should I do?!_

"Now! Unleash Bide!"

My eyes widened. "Poochyena! N-no! Get out of there!"

But it was too late. Marshtomp slammed into Poochyena, sending it flying into the wall on either side of the pathway.

"Poochye-huh…?" I stopped mid-sentence. Something was wrong. Poochyena was… Despite being covered in mud… It was glowing.

"What?" Brendan gawked, rubbing his eyes. "Oh… Wow! It's evolving!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the trainer whip out a notepad and start fervently writing something down. I then turned my attention to the Pokemon. Was it really…? In… the middle of the battle…?

The figure pulled itself upward, no longer the tiny pup it was as a Poochyena. I gasped as the glow around it faded, revealing a larger, fiercer Pokemon. Despite being quite dirty, it had a beautiful coat of black and white fur that was ruffled with agitation. Brendan and I both grabbed our Pokedexes:

"_Mightyena, the Bite Pokemon and the evolved form of Poochyena. Mightyena travel and act as a pack in the wild. The memory of its life in the wild compels the Pokemon to obey only those trainers that it recognizes to possess superior skills._"

_Wow…!_ I thought to myself, gazing at the newly-evolved Pokemon. _It really did evolve! So this is Mightyena…_

Mightyena let out a wicked cry, causing even Brendan and I to cringe, and hurdled through the mud. It no longer had trouble keeping its balance; the layer of muck was only troublesome to the stubby legs of Poochyena. Without a single command, it rammed into Marshtomp and closed its jaws around the fin protruding from its head.

"_Tooomp!"_ the Water-type cried as it was thrown to the side. Mightyena shook the mud from its coat before kneading at the ground impatiently.

"Marshtomp, hang in there!" Brendan cried, thrusting his hand out towards Mightyena. "Give it your strongest Water Gun!"

At a speed I didn't anticipate, the weakened Pokemon obeyed, shooting a blast of water from its mouth and into Mightyena. And… I didn't anticipate the power, either…! _Mightyena is completely stunned! Don't tell me… Brendan's using the same ability strategy that I used with Combusken?_

"One more, Marshtomp! While it's down!"

"Mightyena, finish it off! Hurry!"

Both Pokemon readied themselves. The Dark-type looked like a monster, with how aggressively it was flinging itself across the battlefield. But Marshtomp wasn't intimidated this time. Just as its opponent was upon it, Water Gun was released, right into Mightyena's face.

Seconds felt like hours as Brendan and I watched the battle advance. Mightyena was… Mightyena _wasn't… _getting thrown back. It was standing its ground, despite the deluge being blasted into its face. _No, it's not _just _standing its ground, it's… it's moving forwards!_

The Dark-type moved one trembling paw forwards, towards Marshtomp, and then another, pushing against the Water Gun with all of its might. I finally came to and broke the silence: "Go, Mightyena! Attack! Go!"

Brendan bit his lip. "Marshtomp, give it your all! Don't let up!"

Mightyena took another step forwards, causing its opponent to falter. The Water Gun was at its strongest, here – Mightyena's face was practically _in _the Pokemon's mouth. Its eyes suddenly tore open, despite the water, and it sent Marshtomp the nastiest glare I'd ever seen.

The action only lasted a few seconds before Mightyena had to turn its face away again, but it was enough; the Water-type hesitated for just a moment, weakening its Water Gun out of fear, and both Brendan and I picked up on this.

"Now!"

"Marshtomp!"

With one last push, Mightyena broke through the Water-type attack and tackled Marshtomp to the ground.

I beamed. "Yes!"

Brendan, on the other hand, held an unreadable expression. I glanced at him as he stroked his chin, wrote a few more things down in his notepad, and then drew out Marshtomp's Pokeball.

"That's enough, Marshtomp!" The defeated Pokemon, pinned to the ground by Mightyena, disappeared back inside its Pokeball.

I did the same; Poochyena's evolution practically collapsed as soon as its opponent was gone. _That was close… Too close._

"…Well, May! You've certainly been training a lot, behind my back!" chimed Brendan with an easy laugh as he approached me, feet squishing in the mud. "Well, I suppose you're pretty good… so I'll give you this."

Brendan then handed me a folded up device of some sort. I raised an eyebrow.

"It's an Itemfinder. Lots of different items can have lots of different uses in battles. I'm sure this'll come in handy for you at some point." He then winked. "Beating one of the Birch family – twice, at that – what a feat! But next time I'll be at my best, and you won't be so lucky, May. Evolution can't save you every time. Pokemon isn't just about training and battling… but I guess you would think that, being the daughter of Norman."

I thanked Brendan, quietly and without a lot of enthusiasm – despite winning the battle, I still felt like I was being talked _down _to. _And what was that comment about my father…? Of course I know that. _He marched off in the opposite direction, saying something about searching for new Pokemon.

I stood there for a minute, before grinning and calling out Mightyena again, who was still speckled with mud here and there.

"Oh, Mightyena, look at yourself… But that was a great effort you put in back there!" I patted its head, albeit a little cautiously. It definitely didn't look any friendlier than it was as a Poochyena. "…Oh! I know!"

I dug around in my bag as Mightyena sat there, wagging its tail and tilting its head expectantly. I eventually pulled out a handful of blue and golden berries; Orans, and Sitrus.

"Here you go, boy. Um… You're a boy, right?" I muttered Mightyena chowed down on the berries from my hand.

He barked in approval.

"Well, Mauville's ahead. We should get going!"

"_Woof!"_

* * *

**A/N: **Wally next chapter! And Wattson. I hope they reveal Wally's ORAS design soon. The Gym Leaders look great so far.


	12. VS Wattson!

**A/N:** Here's 12. And so the story progresses. I think of all of the new ORAS character arts that haven't been released yet, I'm most excited to see Wally's and Wallace's. And Drake's. (But seriously, it seems like they should have at least mentioned Wally already!)

* * *

**Chapter 12 – Mauville and Verdanturf! VS. Wattson, "The Cheerfully Electrifying Man!"**

After the horribly long trek that was Route 110, I arrived at the border of Mauville City. It, thankfully, was smaller than Slateport, with nowhere near as many gleaming skyscrapers and historical tourist spots. Instead, smaller, less modern buildings dotted the hillside that the city was established on, and further into the boundaries, the buildings grew more diverse and clustered together. It was easy to tell the city must have been going through renovations. I looked past the town, craning my neck upwards. The landscape stretched onwards, with the grassy, country-ish terrain turning rugged and wooded. Looming over Mauville, shrouded in haze and mysterious, pale, puffy clouds, was the silhouette of a mountain. A gust of wind hit the back of my head, and I turned back around to face Slateport; it was only a smudge of gray in the distance, now, looking much less impressive against the expanse of the ocean just beyond it.

My first objective was to find a gym; however, on the way into the downtown area, I ended up finding a much more interesting building: a _bike shop._

After observing that elevated bike trail back on Route 110, I yearned to own a bike, both because it would make travel easier, and because biking in Hoenn just looked _fun_. Unfortunately, the little money I had saved, I'd spent on trinkets and such at Slateport, leaving me with a pitiful, measly amount of money reserved for restocking on food. Despite this, I opened the door to the shop, half-hoping some kind of miracle would happen.

The shop was small, and humble, tucked away between two newer, massive buildings, but by no means were the bikes poorly taken care of. They shone under the artificial light tantalizingly, looking brand new, and in all different colors, and-

_P__1,000,000?!_

I almost screamed.

"Oh! I see you're checking out our vintage Ruby-Red All-Purpose Acro Bike," came a smooth voice. I turned around to find a salesman wearing a slim green suit labeled "Mauville Cycle Shop" approaching me.

"Yeah, well, I mean…" I told him. "I, umm… I'm not really buying, but…"

His eyes widened as his gaze moved down to my feet. "Oh! Are those Running Shoes?"

I glanced downwards. "Erm, yes. Sorry. They're a little dirty..."

"More than dirty! How far did you travel to get here, miss?!" The man placed his hands on his hips and raised one pointy red eyebrow.

I blinked. _It can't be that far. But I don't really know the exact distance… _"From Littleroot town, around to Dewfo-"

"_Littleroot_?!" he exclaimed, getting closer and placing a hand on my shoulder. He gave me a solemn look, and it was almost as though his face had hardened into solid rock, what with how still it was. "We _need_ to get you a bike, ma'am, before you wear those shoes down to their soles."

"I… That's really okay!" I shook both hands in front of me in exasperation. "I only came in to look; I don't really… have the funds-"

"Well, I don't mean for you to pay, of course! I'll give you one for free, since you traveled so far!"

_Huh?!_

"There are two kinds, though…" The salesman stepped back and began pointing at different models in the shop with one hand while counting on his fingers with the other. "Mach bikes, for those who love the feeling of the wind rushing through their hair, going at the speed of sound… And Acro bikes, for those who love taking their time, going offroad, doing wheelies and… The decision can be quite difficult, so…"

I hardly heard any of what he was saying, I was so bewildered. But _happy_, nonetheless. _A free bike! Hell yeah! _"I'll take the 'Mach Bike', I suppose!"

The man nodded. "Well then," he reached into the section of bike models next to him, pulled one out like it was nothing, folded it up, stuck some kind of paper booklet in the spokes, and handed it to me. I was a little overwhelmed. "Here you go!"

"Err, thank you!" I said. "You're sure I shouldn't, like, return this at some point?"

He shook his head. "Absolutely not! We're a shop made for the trainers of Hoenn! Plus, riding that thing will get our shop's name known around the region! Go on then, try it out!"

With another rushed thank-you, I scurried out the door and unfolded the bike.

* * *

The next three hours were spent speeding around Mauville on the Mach Bike, up into alleys and out into streets and weaving in and out of cars stopped at intersections. It was incredibly fast, though unfortunately very hard to control, and the feeling of the wind rushing past my face definitely beat trudging through the grass in the soupy heat. I scouted out the Pokemon Gym, as well, along with the Pokemon Center, where I eventually stopped. I hadn't biked in so long that it was refreshing to do it again.

That night, I collapsed on the bed, completely spent. Combusken had recovered, and agreed with me, falling right asleep on the floor.

I sat up and dug through my bag a little; I now had a good supply of TMs an HMs, the most recent addition being the HM for Rock Smash a man in Mauville had given me because I apparently looked like a strong trainer. The Potion and Pokeball supply was still in good shape, as well. I leaned against the wall and opened up the Pokenav, zooming back in to Route 110; it apparently forked off at one point, and led back to Route 103, north of Oldale town. Had I a way to cross the water, I might've considered heading back to Littleroot and saying hi to my mom, or even to go challenge my father's gym. But it would have to wait until after I defeated Wattson.

Wattson was apparently an Electric-type specialist, which could be a challenge for me, I realized, running one hand through my hair. I pulled out a type-chart I'd drawn up based off information on the Pokenav and studied it; yes, my suspicions were right. Ground was the only super-effective move on electric types. Wingull was effectively out of the game. I thought back to Brendan; his Marshtomp would probably have no trouble fighting Wattson's Pokemon, with that Mud Shot of his.

_It'll work out. I'll check out the gym tomorrow, and then use that Bike to explore around and battle some more trainers…_

With that positive thought, I closed my eyes and dozed off.

* * *

The next morning, I found a familiar face standing in front of the Mauville Pokemon Gym.

"But Uncle, please! Ralts is strong! I know I can beat this gym, if I try!"

"Wally," said an older man, looking concerned, "I know Pokemon training has made you stronger, but… a Gym? Not yet."

"U-uncle! I'm never going to become a real Pokemon trainer if everyone keeps telling me 'not yet'! I…" He paused. "I might not have as much time as everyone else… so I want to train and become strong while I still have the chance…!"

The man sighed. "Wally, please. You're going to be short of breath if you get this worked up."

Wally seemed to realize I was standing there and turned to face me, expression relaxing a bit. "…May! How are you?"

I smiled. Wally looked a lot healthier – and happier. "I'm good, Wally. You?"

"I'm great!" he mustered, though his voice faltered a little at the end. "I just – I want to challenge this gym, but my Uncle… Oh! I have an idea! Will you battle me, May?"

I was taken aback. "Umm… Sure! Right… here?"

The boy nodded. "I want my uncle to see how strong I've become!"

It was the most uncomfortable Pokemon battle I'd ever had. Poor little Wally was trying his hardest, but his only Pokemon was that Ralts from Route 102, and Wingull managed to take it down with little effort. Despite this, though, he had more fight in him than I'd expected, and I got this weird feeling that he had a lot of potential for someone as frail as him.

I still felt like a horrible human being as he recalled the poor thing into its Pokeball, though..

"Okay, Uncle…" he muttered in defeat, waddling back over to the man, "I'll head back to Verdanturf Town, now. B-but… I want to challenge the Gyms eventually, and not even you will be able to hold me back-" he stopped, bursting into a fit of coughing, and I felt helpless watching as Wally's uncle patted his back until he calmed down.

"Well, let's go, then," his uncle told him. "You should lay down, once we're there."

"Thank you very much, May," Wally managed to say, and that friendly smile of his was back on his face. "I know that there's so much more to being a Trainer than just battling and training Pokemon, thanks to you. You can befriend them, and spend time with them, and-" he coughed a little more, earning a worried gaze from his uncle, "-thank you."

His uncle smiled at me, as well. "You must be… the trainer that helped Wally in Petalburg, correct? Thank you so much. You're welcome to drop by our home in Verdanturf any time, May."

I nodded, gave him my regards, and watched them head off to the west, towards Verdanturf Town. I then turned back towards the gym, staring at the doorway.

_Wally wasn't ready, clearly, but… am I…?_ I second-guessed myself. Combusken was my strongest Pokemon, but it was like what happened in my fight with Brendan; if it was out, then I had a serious disadvantage, since my other Pokemon were much less experienced.

I finally decided to turn away from the Gym and move onto the Cycling Road, for now, and hopefully find trainers to battle with. I definitely wasn't going to lose another gym battle humiliatingly, like I did with Roxanne, and I couldn't just rely on my Pokemon to evolve in the nick of time anymore.

* * *

Time flew by on the following day. Cycling Road was, as I had guessed, full of energetic trainers willing to battle, and more importantly, I didn't use Combusken at all, instead focusing on working with Mightyena, Aron, and even Sableye. I'd been planning on stopping by Wally's home in Verdanturf, but by the time I was back in Mauville City, I was sweating buckets and struggling to get the Mach Bike's pedal around a single rotation. The sun was setting, but that didn't change the fact that it was absurdly hot outside. I collapsed on a couch in the Pokemon Center, sprawled out, still wearing my bandana, and fell right into a deep sleep.

* * *

The following morning I headed straight over to Route 117, battling a few trainers here and there and scoping out a place called the Pokemon Day Care. I didn't have much of an interest in it, but nonetheless, decided to leave Sableye there (it was better than a PC, at least.) The Route was open, and speckled with pools of water here and there, but despite this I failed to catch any Water-types; the one Pokemon I came close to catching was a Marill, but Mightyena accidentally scared it away. _I-it doesn't matter, anyways, since Wattson's Gym is Electric-type,_ I told myself in reassurance.

The route became more meadow-like as I advanced and eventually gave way to Verdanturf, a town of modest size nestled in a ravine at the foot of an enormous cliff. And the air was surprisingly fresh, as silly as it sounded. I paused, taking a deep breath; my fatigue seemed to dissipate, and was instead replaced with a pleasant, refreshed feeling. It smelled faintly of wildflowers. I understood why Wally was moved here.

_Wally_, I thought, glancing around, _that's right. I wonder where his house is…_

Fortunately, the town was small, and I managed to find a sign reading _Wanda's House _not too far away from the Pokemon Center, with the names of numerous family members listed underneath; Wally was one of them. I knocked on the door behind said sign, straightening out my ruffled hair and dirty clothes as best as I could.

After a few seconds, the door was pulled open by a younger brown-haired woman. She seemed a little confused, at first, staring at me with questioning hazel eyes, but Wally suddenly bounded up to the door, telling her who I was.

"Oh," she muttered. "…Oh! So you are May!" She grabbed my hand, out of nowhere, and began shaking it. It was a little discomforting. "It's nice to meet you! I am Wally's aunt!"

I blinked. "Um, hi! It's nice to meet you too, I guess. I-I just thought I'd stop by, as long as I'm in Verdanturf… I mean, stop by your house, and check on Wally, that is."

They practically pulled me inside. "Well, we're glad you came! We were just eating lunch."

I took a seat and kindly declined any food, instead asking Wally about the town.

"I didn't know there were many mountains in Hoenn," I commented. "I always thought it was just beaches and rainforests!"

Wally nodded. "There's really only this one, Mt. Chimney, and another off to the east: Mt. Pyre."

I faintly remembered seeing a Mt. Pyre on my Pokenav. _Speaking of which, now's a good time to check out where I should be heading after the Gym battle._ I opened it up and switched to map mode. Wally watched, eyes bulging.

"W-wow! What is that?" he inquired.

I glanced over at him, before focusing on the map again. "Oh, it's a Pokenav." _Please don't ask how I got it…_

"Really?!" he beamed. "Cool! Where'd you get it?"

I wanted to punch myself in the face for taking it out in the first place. I'd intended to avoid talking about Devon and, in turn, Team Aqua, at all costs. "I… a kind man who works with Devon gave it to me as a gift." _Great, now it sounds like I have a fiancée or something. Oh well, he's too young to think anything of some random trainer getting a gift from Devon Corporation, I guess._

Wally grinned. "That's pretty special, for a gift! I've never even seen one with that design before! …Oh! By the way, how many badges do you have, now…?"

_Phew… he dropped the subject…_I thought with a small sigh, and pulled out my badge case from my bag. "Just two, but… I'm planning on battling the Mauville Gym Leader today," I responded, feeling a little embarrassed at my lack of progress.

"Wow… These badges are amazing…! Y-you're so cool, May!" He ran his hands over each one, eyes wide. "What towns are they from…? And what type did the leaders train…?"

"Well, the first one is the Stone Badge, from Roxanne, in Rustboro City… and she trains Rock-types," I mentioned. "I… lost the first time I battled her, though, ahah…"

Wally only smiled. "That's okay! No one wins all the time! I mean, look at me…"

"…And, the next one is the Knuckle Badge, from Brawly, in Dewford Town, who uses Fighting-types," I told him with a little laugh. "Thanks, but it _was_ pretty humiliating… hahaha…"

He looked back at the badges, grin fading. "I really hope I can go train Pokemon soon… My family is always trying to hold me back, because of my illnesses, but it's been so long… trainers are supposed to leave when they turn ten, and I'm going to be twelve in a few months…"

I frowned, and my heart ached. "It's okay, Wally, really," I patted him on the shoulder. "I didn't get my own Pokemon until… just a few days before I saw you at Petalburg. My parents held me back, too, for a while…"

"Really?" he said. "Well, I g-guess if you can do it, then I can, too…! Thank you, May!"

I gave him a smile, and glanced over at the door. "I… should probably get going," I mentioned, noticing that Wally's family was starting to bring out their food to the table we were seated at.

"Okay," Wally murmured, getting out of his chair as well. "Oh! You said you were battling the Mauville Gym Leader later today, right?"

I turned around, blinking. "Y..yeah. Why?"

He looked away and shyly asked, "Could I watch?"

I scoffed, and then gave a light laugh. "I don't see why not."

"Uncle! May I go? I promise I won't be fighting, and I won't get worked up…!" the boy said, tugging on the sleeve of his uncle, who had just sat down at the small table.

"I don't see why not," the older man said after a pause and a wary glance at his wife.

Wally did a little cheer, and then waved goodbye to me as I stepped back outside.

_Well, that was almost… refreshing_, I thought to myself as I made my way back into the square of Verdanturf, taking in another deep breath. I overheard one man talking about how Verdanturf was right where the ashes of a volcano of some sort couldn't reach due to wind currents. _Volcano? ...Eh, whatever._

Eventually I bid the town's pleasant atmosphere goodbye and biked back to Mauville.

* * *

"Wahahaha! So, you want to challenge me, then?"

"Yes," I stated clearly. "My name is May, from Littleroot Town."

An elderly man with a mountain of white hair jutting out from his chin stood across from me. He didn't look like a gym leader, what with the knit sweater and aged appearance, but his hearty laugh contradicted this, and he practically emanated positivity. Despite the optimistic vibes, however, I knew this fight wouldn't be easy. Electric… _I don't have much experience with that type…_

It had taken a while to battle through his gym, and much thinking, as well; it had all been a puzzle, a maze, designed so that the challenging trainer would meet with a Gym trainer every time they were about to figure the next piece out. The walls of the "maze" were actually electrical fields; I wasn't sure if they were just for show, or real, and I wasn't really willing to find out. And if Wattson really was the one who put the building together, then he had more of a tactical mind than he let off.

"Well, as the founder of Mauville, I'd been planning on expanding and converting the city, using my knowledge of electricity and such, but I've given up on that, I have! Those electric walls and gadgets you made your way through are a glimpse at what could have been!" he boasted.

I was impressed, yes, but also slightly intimidated. _So it is true. Who knows what kind of strategy someone like this could come up with…?_

"In any case, the leader of the Mauville City Gym, Wattson – that's me! – accepts your challenge!" the man tossed out a Pokeball.

"_MAGNETON._"

His Pokemon materialized before both of us. I gaped. Steel- and Electric-type, three-headed… I'd seen this one before...! It definitely wasn't a Hoenn-native Pokemon.

I pulled out the Pokedex and registered it:

"_Magneton, the Magnet Pokemon and the evolved form of Magnemite. Magneton emits a powerful magnetic force that is fatal to electronics and precision instruments. Because of this, it is said that some towns warn people to keep this Pokemon inside a Pokeball."_

A small tinge of nostalgia hit me as I faintly remembered visiting a power plant back in Johto full of Magneton and Magnemite. _It only figures, that Wattson would use a Pokemon like this… _"Combusken, go!"

I chucked Combusken's Pokeball onto the field. _I know what a Magneton is and what to expect, yes, but that doesn't change anything... But it's part Steel, which means…_

"Wahahaha! Cool! Your move, May of Littleroot Town!" Wattson called, hands on his hips.

My expression hardened. Gears in my head began turning quicker and quicker as I started to formulate a strategy.

"Double Kick, Combusken!"

Combusken charged at Magneton, letting out a battle cry.

"Dodge, and use Supersonic, Magneton!"

Combusken's Double Kick sent it first flying across the room and then tumbling back onto the floor as its target swerved out of the way. Just as it was getting back to its feet, Magneton emitted a horrible soundwave. I cringed. The Fire-type began to totter, as though unable to keep its balance. It was vulnerable.

"Snap out of it, Combusken!" I yelled.

"Wahah! Now, Shock Wave, Magneton!" Wattson cheered in response.

I clenched my fists. _Confusion, confusion… oh!_ As the electric currents coursed through the already unstable Combusken, I dug through my bag and eventually found what I was looking for.

"Combusken!" I shouted when Magneton's electric attack died down. "Focus on me!"

The Pokemon turned, as though responding to my voice, but kept going, spinning around and around in circles. It was pathetic. I grinded my teeth in fury as another Shock Wave was launched from Magneton's body, earning a cry of pain from my Pokemon.

I looked away and closed my eyes. _Okay… _I_ need to focus before I can get Combusken to. Calm down. Calm down…_

"_Pokemon isn't just about training and battling… but I guess you would think that, being the daughter of Norman."_

My eyes flew open again as a new wave of frustration hit me. _Why am I thinking back to _Brendan, _at a time like this?!_

"_MAGNETON."_

"_C-Combus-…"_

I wanted to tear my hair out. _'Daughter of Norman'? Was he implying that I'm as crazily serious about Pokemon battling as my dad? And of course Pokemon isn't just about training and battling… Combusken is my friend… It is. That's why…_

"Wahahaha! This is _electrifying_!" Wattson exclaimed in joy.

"Combusken!" I called, though in a softer voice, this time.

The Pokemon, completely roughed up and still very disoriented, moved its head in my general direction and pulled itself back to its feet yet again.

"Listen to my voice. I need you to calm down, and walk closer to me, and try to focus on me," I called. Deep down, I felt a little silly, and doubted myself; how would Combusken even understand what I'm trying to say?

Yet, somehow, the Pokemon began stumbling towards me. I grinned and held the item from my bag tightly in my hand; it was a Persim Berry, which apparently cured confusion. The Gym Battle guidelines here allowed for the use of one item per battle, as well, as long as it wasn't a Potion of any sort.

"Now, catch!"

I threw the tiny thing with all my might, and it hit Combusken right in the face, falling into the confused – now, in both senses – Pokemon's claws. It must've been sober enough to realize the item I'd thrown was a berry, because it then stuffed it into its mouth.

Wattson had been watching with interested eyes. "I see, I see…! Magneton, ready another Supersonic!"

"Combusken…?" I asked.

The Pokemon met my eyes. Its usual determined look replaced the disoriented one it had before, and despite its heavy injuries, it squawked and ran back into the battlefield.

"Jump as high as you can into the air! Do whatever it takes to dodge that Supersonic!" I ordered.

It worked, this time; Combusken, using its powerful legs, flew into the air as Magneton launched its attack. "Now, use Double Kick again, as you're falling!"

Magneton had no good view on Combusken and was unable to determine where it was attacking from, and Double Kick hit right on target, with added momentum. My Pokemon rolled back and then landed in front of it, staggering, but still battle-ready.

"Before it uses another attack, Combusken, use Ember! Give it your all!"

Wattson pointed forward, yelling, "Shock Wave it, Magneton!"

The two attacks met at close range. A wave of tiny – but boiling-hot – flames, against a huge bolt of electricity. There was a crash, and a massive explosion, and I recoiled as smoke and dust flew into me.

Gradually, the cloud cleared…

…And Combusken was collapsed on the ground, completely exhausted.

Magneton, meanwhile, was still hovering in the same spot, though it was noticeably damaged.

I recalled my Pokemon with a neutral expression and immediately took out another ball. It had been my fault for not giving better commands in the first place, but Combusken had put in such an amazing effort that I couldn't stay too negative. _After all, I planned for this._

"Wahahaha! That was great!" Wattson called from his side of the room.

"Good job, May…!" Wally called from the sidelines. I hadn't even seen the bleachers on either side of the arena, in a sort of balcony overlooking the stadium, but now that I noticed them I gave Wally a confident nod.

The tension was tangible, now, but I kept calm.

The tiny, but feisty, steel creature that was Aron appeared on the battlefield in front of me as I clipped its Pokeball back at my belt. Wally ogled from the stands.

"_Ron! Aron!"_ it chirped, kneading the ground with its two front legs.

"Give it a Headbutt, Aron! And be prepared to dodge, if it uses Supersonic!"

The Pokemon nodded in acknowledgement and charged forward. I gulped, fearing I made the same mistake I did with Combusken.

But nothing like that happened; Headbutt hit right on target, sending Magneton flying backwards. Aron landed on its feet, barking in pride again.

"Now, Magneton, give it a Thunder Wave!"

A different kind of electric wave began forming around Magneton; instead of a single, charged attack, sparks danced around the Pokemon's arm-like magnets.

I swallowed. "Stay on guard!"

Suddenly, with a loud crack, they flew forward and encased Aron, which cried out in response.

"Aron!" I called. _Not again!_

It didn't appear to be actually damaged, but Aron was having trouble moving. _Just like last time, _I thought as Magneton began charging a Shock Wave. I gritted my teeth. _Even with its type combination, Magneton could still seriously damage Aron…_

"Iron Defense, Aron!"

Thankfully, the Pokemon was still completely responsive, and its metal coat began shining. Shock Wave was released, but merely fazed the resilient Aron. I smiled.

Wally shouted again from the stands; "You can do it, May! And Aron!"

"Aron," I continued, not giving Wattson the chance to attack first, "jump and give Magneton a Metal Claw to the face! I know you can get there! It's already weakened!"

My Pokemon moved slowly, but surely, and barely managed to fling itself high enough in the air to reach the still-recovering Magneton. It then twirled around, lashing out with its front legs, and then unceremoniously landed on its head with a clang.

Magneton buzzed in pain and collapsed on the ground. _"MAGNE…TOOoooonnn…"_

"Oh? Well, Magneton, that was a good fight you put up!" Wattson managed as he recalled the fallen Pokemon. "And what a fight that little Aron of yours has, May! Wahaha!"

Wally cheered again, and I was a little concerned for his health. Aron, meanwhile, managed to roll itself off of its head, but it was still paralyzed.

"Good work, Aron."

"Voltorb, it's your turn!" Wattson yelled, releasing a new Pokeball, with yet another familiar Pokemon inside.

"_Voltorb, the Ball Pokemon," _my Pokedex began. "_Voltorb is extremely sensitive – it explodes at the slightest of shocks. It is rumored that it was first created when a Pokeball was exposed to a powerful pulse of energy._"

I grimaced and took a deep breath. "Ready?"

"_Aron!"_ it squeaked.

"Rollout!" Wattson yelled immediately, and to my surprise, the Electric-type began rolling at a steady pace towards my paralyzed Pokemon.

"D-dodge, Aron!" I called, still a little shocked at how ridiculous the scene was. _I-it looks like a giant Pokeball!_

Aron barely managed to avoid Voltorbs' attack, and even that was barely a feat; it simply turned around, gaining more momentum, and came back for another strike. Due to its paralysis, Aron's speed was horrendously low, and even though I called out for it to dodge again, Voltorb ran it down. And then ran Aron down again. And again. It was a never-ending loop; I tried getting Aron to Headbutt just as Voltorb got closer as a sort of counter-attack, but the Electric-type was going so fast now that it was impossible to time any sort of attack correctly.

_At this rate…_ I thought, despair creeping into my stomach, _even if Rollout isn't very effective on Aron, it'll still wear it down and knock it out, and… No…!_

I thought back to the Magneton fight and managed to formulate some kind of plan, just as Voltorb came in for its seventh strike.

"Aron, try using Iron Defense again!"

Wattson's eyebrows raised as Aron hardened itself, still standing directly in Voltorb's path. It struck my Pokemon head on, once again, but Aron definitely didn't fly as further (it still rolled a few feet, though, in a truly pathetic scene). A smile made its way onto my face.

"Keep using Iron Defense, Aron! Don't move out of Voltorb's path!"

Aron's hide became harder and harder, and its stance sturdier and sturdier, even though it was still suffering from paralysis, and eventually, Voltorb, at an insane speed, rolled into Aron's side and bounced right up into the air, in the opposite direction. I was almost sure that it hit the ceiling before falling back towards the floor, but couldn't tell due to the glare of the lights.

Wattson's expression of shock soon turned into a laugh. "I see, I see! What a strategy!"

"Use one more Metal Claw, Aron!" I told my Pokemon. It looked like a win for me; Aron had taken some damage, but its defense was still extremely high.

However, just as Aron closed in on the midair Voltorb, something else happened. Something I would have never anticipated.

"Selfdestruct, Voltorb!"

Voltorb began glowing a bright white, like any Pokemon would during evolution, and then, just as Aron and Voltorb both were about to hit the ground, there was another intense explosion. A wave of heat slammed into my body, and I took a step back, squinting.

"Hang in there, Aron!" I shouted as my ears rang.

The Electric-type was completely out of commission, as that was the purpose of the Selfdestruct attack. It rolled onto its belly limply (as limp as a living Pokeball could be). Aron, however, must have heard me. A huge grin stretched across my face.

"_A-ron!"_ it called weakly as it brought itself back to its feet.

Wally once again cheered from the sidelines, and I almost wanted to tell him to stop because he'd wind himself.

"Wahahaha! That Aron of yours is really something," Wattson huffed. "But can it handle my top Pokemon?"

I bit my lip. _Top Pokemon? You're telling me that _wasn't _Magneton?_

Aron retreated back to my side as Wattson let loose his last Pokemon. In front of us appeared a medium-sized canine Pokemon, with what appeared to be a yellow spike erupting from its head and a smooth blue coat of fur. Little sparks ran up and down its body, and a low, hardly audible growl rose from its throat as it met Aron's eyes. A chill ran up my spine; the sound was like the crackling of electricity.

I took out my Pokedex, gaze not moving from this new, unknown Pokemon:

"_Manectric, the Discharge Pokemon and the evolved form of Electrike. Manectric discharges strong electricity from its mane. The mane is used for collecting electricity in the atmosphere. This Pokemon creates thunderclouds above its head."_

I recalled Aron before it could run onto the battlefield against my orders. "Sorry, but you need a rest, for now." I knew just what Pokemon to use against Manectric, as well.

"Mightyena!"

With a flash, Mightyena, full of energy and ready to fight, appeared in front of me. Its eyes quickly met Manectric's, and the two glared each other down, awaiting commands from their trainers.

Wattson remained quiet, so I took that as a queue to attack first.

"Mightyena, give it your best Bite attack!" I called. I knew, from the first two of Wattson's Pokemon, that charging right in was _not_ a good idea with this guy, but I didn't have many options. The Dark-type's moveset was unfortunately limited.

Wattson ordered his Pokemon to do the same, and soon enough both canine Pokemon where engaged in a feral scuffle, jaws snapping at each other. _Come to think of it, this may not be as even as I thought… Mightyena's ability is Intimidate, and Bite is a Dark-type move, as is Mightyena, right…?_ I tried to think back to what I'd read about Mightyena in the Pokedex…

There was snarling and yelping and roaring, and I almost wanted to call my Pokemon out of it, because it was less like an actual battle and more like two wild Pokemon trying to dismantle the other, but Wattson got to that before me.

"Thunder Wave, Manectric!"

Sparks ran from the Electric-type's majestic mane up through Mightyena's coarser fur, and the Pokemon yelped, leapt backwards, and began to shake.

"No…!" _Not again!_

"Now, Shock Wave!"

I felt like I was watching the battle of Combusken and Magneton all over again, as Mightyena was electrocuted relentlessly. _What to do, what to do…?! Maybe…_

"Mightyena, use Secret Power!" I was desperate now, and my voice was faltering.

Despite its paralysis, Mightyena began to glow a pinkish color. I'd only used this move a few times, while battling trainers on Route 110 and Route 117, and it seemed to change based on the environment surrounding my Pokemon, so I had no idea what it would do in an Electric-type Gym.

The pink light grew to an intense amount, and then something incredible happened. The electric fences surrounding the battlefield distorted, and the bolts of energy began, one by one, detaching from the poles and bouncing off of Mightyena's coat. After a few moments, the electric-link fences were completely bare, and Mightyena was a glowing mass of pink and yellow. Without my command, it then charged at an amazing speed towards Manectric – the attack was like a combination of Quick Attack and Spark.

My expression of awe changed to one of determination. "Go, Mightyena! Knock it out!"

"Stand your ground, Manectric!"

_Huh?_

Mightyena, at full speed, rammed into Manectric. It was blown back, yes, but landed on its feet, and, to my dismay, the intense amount of electricity Mightyena had stored simply swirled around Manectric's fur until it died down. Almost like the Pokemon had _absorbed_ it, or something.

My Pokemon roared in triumph, but it was short lived, once it noticed Manectric nonchalantly staring at it.

"…What? What was…" I whipped out my Pokedex, going back to Manectric's entry… "…Lightningrod…?"

"Wahahaha! What an attack!" Wattson exclaimed. "I'm _shocked_! Get it?!"

"…"

"Shock Wave, Manectric!"

I watched helplessly as Mightyena tried to run from what looked like a supercharged version of Shock Wave. But the attack had incredible accuracy. Within seconds, the Pokemon was no more than a twitching pile of what looked like soot and tar, whimpering weakly.

"M-Mightyena!" Wally murmured from the stands. My eyes flicked up for a split second; the boy was watching the match with interest, leaning down towards the battlefield.

"…Return, Mightyena," I said.

My only remaining Pokemon was my already weakened Aron. _What am I going to do?!_ I thought, gripping its Pokeball in my gloved hand. _Manectric is way too fast for Aron…_

Wattson seemed to be very patient and provided no comment as I called Aron back out of its Pokeball.

"_Aron_!" it chirped at me with a tired, but confident, shine in its eyes.

"Yeah," I replied.

Wattson was first to attack, this time. "Use Quick Attack!"

Manectric darted forward. It was impossible to follow its movements exactly. I panicked and yelled for Aron to leap to the side, and it commanded my orders, just barely avoiding what could have been a fatal blow. "Whoa!"

Manectric was on my side of the battlefield, now, and I got a good look at it. It was _very_ intimidating, almost like what Mightyena would be if it wasn't so rugged and wild. And if it had electricity powers, of course. I was surprised that Aron wasn't out there whimpering in fear, considering its condition.

I thought back to my previous fights, and to Aron's moves, rapidly trying to come up with some way to beat Manectric's unbelievable speed. _Speed… speed… _I thought. _…Speed! If I can restrict that, I might be able to get a blow on it!_ My eyes moved back to Manectric, again; here and there, its fur was ruffled and out of place. Mightyena had definitely done some damage on it, despite the failed Secret Power attack.

"Aron, quickly, use Rock Tomb! All across the field!"

Huge boulders and jagged rocks scattered all around the gym at my command. Manectric yelped in surprise, dodging one particularly sharp piece of stone, and leered at my little Aron. _Not only does this restrict its speed, _I thought with a grin, _but now, Shock Wave will be that much harder to aim._

"Manectric, maneuver around the rocks and give it one more Quick Attack!" called Wattson, who didn't seem too worried.

But I was prepared. Rock Tomb was Aron's trump card. "Aron, hide behind that rock to your left."

The Pokemon heard me and ducked into a small crevice between the enormous stone and the floor, waiting for Manectric to bound around the corner…

"Go! Headbutt!"

Just as Manectric flew past Aron's rock and came turning back around to strike its finishing blow, Aron jumped forward, meeting the flying Electric-type's attack head-on with its impossibly thick skull.

Silence… Then…

"_Krrghh.. T-trik…"_

Manectric fell to the ground in a heap.

"…Wah? Ah! Incredible! That little thing can really move, wahaha!" Wattson exclaimed. The boulders collapsed, and in turn, Manectric was recalled.

Relaxing a little and letting out a short breath, I realized that I had actually won. Aron came bounding up to me, barking with pride (but still twitching now and then due to the paralysis.) I was hardly prepared for it to leap into my arms, and fell backwards onto the floor due to how damn _heavy _it was, laughing.

"_Aron!"_

"Wow! That was… That was…!" Wally ran up to us, looking like he was about to burst with excitement. I sat up.

"Wahahahaha! Electrifying! Thrilling! Invigorating!" Wattson shouted.

I got back up, calling the very heavy Steel-type back into its ball after a quick thank-you, and faced the two of them with a grin.

"Take this, take it already! The Dynamo Badge!" the Gym Leader exclaimed as he pulled out a small, golden badge, that faintly resembled a coiled-up electrical wire. "Deserving of a powerful youngster like you!"

I laughed lightly and thanked him, taking the badge and TM he then offered me, still a little shocked and _wow, I actually _won_!_

"I'm definitely going to become a trainer now, May!" Wally chirped in excitement. "That was _so _awesome! The way you used Secret Power…!"

I coughed awkwardly. "Y-yeah, w-well, I had no idea it would do that… Speaking of which, are your walls going to be okay, Wattson?"

The old man only laughed. "Don't worry about it, kiddo! I just have to restart the power, that's all! Don't worry one bit!" He reached one hand out and ruffled my hair, which I was just now realizing was standing up due to the electrical currents in the air.

I sighed. _Thank goodness… I can hardly afford dinner. _I then turned back to Wally, who beamed.

"And May, I'm going to beat you in a battle, someday, too!"

I giggled halfheartedly and patted him on the head. "Well, you better hurry, or else I'm gonna become the Champion before you even get your first badge!"

We left the Gym still laughing. A good feeling swelled up in my chest; optimism. My third badge was secured. I was almost halfway there. And I'd made a friend; Wally was young and had a lot to learn, sure, but he was a great person nonetheless. The sun was beginning to set, but I walked Wally back to Verdanturf, knowing that he'd exerted himself quite a lot today and his family would be upset if I didn't.

It was night time by the time we arrived at Wally's house.

"Huh? Where's Wanda?" asked the boy. I remembered Wanda, though I'd never directly spoken to her; probably a few years older than me, red hair in a ponytail…?

"She's out," replied his uncle. "She said she was going to Rusturf Tunnel to see her boyfriend…"

Wally frowned. "Again, huh…" He then lightened, seemingly coming up with an idea. "Uncle, can I go to Rusturf, too, please?"

The man raised a brow in question, and slight concern. "…Why? We should just leave her be. She's probably very sensitive right now. You know how it is."

I crossed my arms, half-listening. _Huh…? What's wrong with her?_

Wally's eyes gleamed in confidence, though, and all of the sudden he grabbed my arm and gestured to me. "Really, I have an idea! I'll be with May, so we'll be fine! Besides, the only Pokemon in there are Whismur, right?"

I opened my mouth to object. "H-hey, wait…"

Wally's uncle sighed. "Okay, but please, don't get into danger. And come home immediately if you feel lightheaded. Honestly, Wally…"

"Yes!" he cheered, and pulled me out the door without further explanation.


	13. Route 111

**A/N:** Next chapter! There's a lot packed into this one.

* * *

**Chapter 13 - Onward! To Route 111!**

It wasn't until we were right outside the entrance to Rusturf Tunnel that Wally finally slowed down to tell me what his grand idea was. "You see, my cousin Wanda lives here, in Verdanturf, which is at the opposite end of the Rusturf Tunnel, which starts in-"

"In Rustboro City," I murmured, gazing into the familiar-looking cave. Mist seeped out from the entrance as it had on the other side. "There's… a number of rocks blocking the way through, though, right…? It was an abandoned project."

Wally nodded. "That's right!"

I met his inquisitive gaze, still very lost. "Then, what are you planning on doing…?" _Please don't say you're going to move the rocks yourself._

"Well, you can move them, of course!" Wally managed, taking hold of my arm again and pulling me inside the cave. "I know you can do it, May! And that way, Wanda will finally cheer up!"

"W- hold on…!"

* * *

"Oh, Wanda…" came the muffled voice of a man.

I frowned. _Huh? Whose…_

"There they are," Wally said quietly. "Wanda!"

"W…Wally…? What are you… doing here…?" The boy's relative turned around. Despite her frivolous outfit, her face was creased with concern. She even had makeup on… it was like she was dressed for a date. As we approached her, I noticed the enormous pile of boulders and stones just a few feet beyond. It piled up to the top of the tunnel, barring the way through to Rustboro City. It was like some kind of massive rockslide had occurred, though the rest of the cave was in relatively good shape. "Um… Is this… safe? To be around, I mean…?"

They didn't seem to hear me. "Wanda, we're here to help you!"

The girl sighed and crossed her arms. "Wally, I-I told you, it's okay. Please, just go home."

He pouted, taking a few steps closer to the woman. "I really mean it this time! May's here! She can do it, for sure!"

I raised my eyebrows. _Right, that…_ My gaze moved past the two, back towards the wall of gray rock. _Come to think of it… that HM I got, a few days ago, Rock Smash… Maybe I could use that?_

Wally, as though he'd read my mind, stared at me with hopeful eyes. "You _can_ handle this, right, May?"

"Of course…!" I mustered. _I-I'm no hero! All I did was get a Gym badge...! Gimme a break!_

Wanda eyed me and made a face. It was clear that she, unlike the boy, didn't see any sort of potential in me.

But I was going to prove her wrong, whether I liked it or not.

I pulled out Aron's Pokeball, as well as the HM for Rock Smash. Wally and Wanda stood there watching each of my movements like Persians, with calm, observant green eyes._ Must be a family trait._ After a few moments of fiddling around, everything was ready, and I called out the Pokemon.

"_Aron!_" it squeaked, sounding tired, and a little agitated that I had interrupted its rest.

"I'm sorry, Aron, but I need your help one more time, okay?" I pulled out a Super Potion from my bag, knelt down, and healed the beat-up Pokemon to the best of my ability. It grunted in pain more than a few times – the Gym battle had taken a worse toll on it than I'd originally thought. "We're going to use Rock Smash, your new move," I announced, pointing at the rocks a few feet ahead of me, "on those boulders. I think this should work. There's lots of cracks and crevices in them…"

"_Aron! Aron!"_ The Pokemon readied itself.

Wanda was bewildered. "Honey," she shouted, "please move backwards!"

"Huh?" came the muffled, deep voice again.

"_A-RON!_"

"G-get back! Hurry!"

My Pokemon charged at the rock pile, head gleaming. I hadn't really considered the fact that Wanda's friend might be standing in a dangerous place on the other side, too. There was an earsplitting _CRACK! _as Aron slammed into the first boulder, reducing it to a cloud of dust.

Wally's face lit up. "It's working!"

"Keep going, Aron!" I called, and ran up beside it, kicking and rolling the smaller rocks out of the way to make the Pokemon's job easier. For a while, the only sounds in the cavern were the battle cries of Aron, the crumbling of stone, and my own breathing. At one point, the man on the end must have started helping, too because rocks could be heard hitting the ground on the other side of the barrier, as well. Then, at long last, the pile became low enough and broken down enough that one could step across with ease. And, sure enough, on the other side was a fit man around Wanda's age in traveling clothes, mouth hung open.

I straightened and patted my hands together. "There we go."

"W-wow… It… It actually worked…!" Wanda muttered behind me. "Wow…! Thank you so much… Err…"

"May," I told her, forcing a smile and thumbs-up despite how tired out I suddenly was.

Aron ran up to Wanda, brushing its head against her ankles affectionately, and out of sheer joy, the girl leaned down to grab the Pokemon and pick it up. Aron seemed to enjoy being held in the woman's arms. However, she quickly realized how heavy the thing _was_, and dropped the poor creature onto the ground, waving her hands about and muttering in complaint.

The man, meanwhile, was tripping his way through the pile of rocks. "Y-you really broke through! I don't know how to repay you… Maybe…" He reached into his shirt and pulled out what looked like a TM. "This is the HM for a move called Strength! It's useful for trainers, 'cause it lets you push boulders out of the way, if your Pokemon's strong 'nough. I'm sure if you can do somethin' like _this _with Rock Smash, you'll be a national hero with Strength!"

I blinked, took the TM from him, and nodded. "Thanks! I didn't think I could do it, to be hone-"

He rushed past me, embracing Wanda. "Now we can see each other again!" she exclaimed. "Thank goodness! Let's go home! Come on, Wally, you need some rest."

Wally bounced after them, smiling, and waved to me. "Thank you again, May! Thank you so much!"

I waved back gingerly. "It was nothing, really…!"

Watching the couple wander towards the cave's exit, hand-in-hand, talking in hushed tone, I admittedly felt a little yearning. Aron chirped at me; the potion had helped, but it was nothing compared to a nice rest at a Pokemon Center. I recalled him and made my way back to the Verdanturf Town; Mauville was a ways away still, and I was about to collapse.

* * *

"There actually aren't any rooms open here, currently! We're very sorry! You're welcome to take one of the couches in the lobby, though, if you need somewhere to rest."

My gaze moved from the apologetic Nurse Joy to the ground. _I _could _go ask Wally's family… N-no, I'd just be bothering them… Plus, they're probably asleep, already…_

"That's okay," I said. "I can take the couch."

The woman nodded. "Again, we're very sorry. There's a big Pokemon Contest tonight, so it drew a lot of visitors here."

"Oh?" I murmured, ruffling Combusken's feathers on its head before lifting it onto the counter to join the Pokeballs of my other three Pokemon. "Pokemon Contest…"

The nurse nodded. "Yes. Have you not heard of them…?"

My gloves suddenly became very interesting to me and I started playing with the edges of them. "I… um… Yes… I've seen one before."

She smiled again. "Well, if you're interested in participating, Verdanturf is the best place to start at since this is the place the lowest level contests are held! Lots of girls your age are into them. Even if you _are_ a dedicated trainer, it's an integral part of Hoenn's culture."

I nodded absently. "Thank you."

She took my Pokemon into a back room, and I was left alone in the lobby. I glanced around. There wasn't much traffic at the moment, considering the fact that it was well past midnight, so I wasn't exactly worried about having my supplies getting stolen. I wasn't even going to bother hitting the bathroom to change clothes. Sluggishly, I sauntered over to a yellow leather couch already prepared with bedding and _finally_ got to lie down, and it felt _great_. The couch sunk down beneath me, but not too much, and though the leather was cool, the blankets had a clean fragrance, probably from some kind of flower detergent. It made me think back to the berry shop on Route 105.

I then glanced at the TV placed near the couch, and over to a nearby remote, and decided to turn it on; I hadn't watched television in what felt like months, and it was a nice luxury. And not to mention, the buzzing of the Pokemon Center's fluorescent lights was getting on my nerves. I flicked the power button on, turning the volume down extra low so as not to wake any slumbering neighbors, and sat up a little.

_It's probably just repeats, considering what time it is... _I thought. _But I'm still pretty curious. Maybe the news will have something on about Team Aqua…_

Sure enough, they did.

My eyes widened as I watched two news anchors chat back and forth excitedly.

"…_Slateport City, where the invasion supposedly took place. The Oceanic Museum was their target. Can you tell us more about it?_

"_Yes! Apparently, from around 10-o'clock AM, to 2-o'clock PM, a large group of Team Aqua members were gathered around the entrance to the Oceanic Museum,"_

"_Interesting. But why?"_

"_Well, their intents are not exactly clear to us. They have sent us word saying that it was merely another site to spread awareness of their cause, though eyewitnesses report that the museum was mostly full of Team Aqua members, and no outsiders or listeners."_

"_I see. Except for that trainer, right?"_

"_Yes, well, I was getting to that! Apparently – now, this is reported, but not confirmed – Team Aqua attempted to actually _steal _something from the museum! However, there is no security breach evidence to support this claim. We have a man named Captain Stern here, the supposed victim of this whole ordeal. Stern?"_

"_Yes, I know what happened, exactly, but due to the association with Devon, I can't exactly say-"_

"_Wait! You say this has something to do with Devon?"_

"_Aah, shoot! I said too much again!"_

"_Hold on, what do you mean?"_

"_All I mean is, Team Aqua attempted to steal something valuable from me! I don't know about their intentions, but I'd question the claim that they are merely an activist group. Thankfully, though, I was saved by a young girl who remains anonymous to me."_

"_A young girl! So, the m ystery trainer is female!"_

"…_I-er-well, I mean, she could've been male, for all I know! I don't know anything!"_

"_Mr. Stern, is someone paying you not to give us all of the details?"_

"_I don't know anything! Err… Look, what l do know is that this trainer stood up to Team Aqua's leader, Archie, like it was nothing, and I sure am glad the item they wanted is safe with me, now."_

"_Thank you, Captain Stern. Back to you guys."_

…

"_Wow! It seems this may go a lot deeper than any of us imagine! Tell us your opinion by visiting our website! What is Team Aqua up to? Who is this mystery hero? And is Devon Corporations involved in all of this? Hoenn is heating up! See you tomorrow, folks!"_

The news switched to commercials. I sat there for a while, staring as my eyes glazed over, before flicking it off and reading through a Verdanturf Pokemon Contest brochure. I skimmed the pages, but didn't absorb much because my mind was too distracted with the news report and Aqua, and eventually weariness took over and I drifted off onto a deep sleep.

* * *

I woke with a start, feeling heavily disoriented. For what felt like a while, I blinked and sat unmoving so I could adjusted to my surroundings. The light was overbearing, and the people – there were so many people. _Right,_I thought, _I'm in the Pokemon Center… In… Verdanturf…_ I shifted uncomfortably. At some point during the night, I mused, I'd broken into a cold sweat; my back was soaked. I couldn't grasp why, but I supposed it had something to do with the gloomy cloud of self-doubt still floating around in the back of my mind. _That news report about Team Aqua must have given me a bad dream._

Brow furrowed, I sat up and ran a hand through my hair. _Dirty._ There were a number of people in the lobby that were eyeing me like I was some sort of homeless trainer, and I made eye contact with more than a few of them before panicking and preparing to leave.

"_Chansey_!"

"May, you said your name was, correct? Your Pokemon are almost recovered, !" chimed Nurse Joy from across the room. I hummed in acknowledgement, stuffed away the Pokenav into my pocket and tightened my bandana around my head. The grogginess was overbearing, so much that I even had a hard time walking. With a sigh, I decided to rinse off in the shower before picking up my Pokemon.

* * *

To my dismay, I later realized that I'd slept in late, which was probably the worst possible thing I could do because the town I had been planning on reaching – Lavaridge Town, to be exact – was a ways away, and I wasn't sure how to get there.

"Get ready, Combusken," I announced as I retied my bandana around my damp, hastily-combed hair, "This is going to be a long day."

Disappointed that I no longer had time to stop in and see Wally again, I rode back over to Mauville City, and headed straight out of the north entrance up to Route 111, infinitely thankful for the bike. Combusken had refused to go back in its ball, so instead had to cling onto the back of the bike seat with its talons and curl its feathery arms around my neck to keep its balance.

Route 111 was a significantly different from the rest of the routes I'd been on so far. The landscape was scattered with colorful boulders along with the occasional cluster of evergreen trees, and further ahead of us were dozens upon dozens of open, rolling hills and huge rock faces that pointed up into the deep blue sky. With a grin on my face, I pedaled faster and faster until the Mach Bike was soaring across the path like a bird.

However, the further up I biked, the more the paved path deteriorated and I was eventually left with a bumpy, unmaintained mess of a trail. "Aw, man," I lamented, "the Mach Bike still look so shiny and new. Riding on this would just ruin it…"

With a sigh, I gave up, folded the device up, and continued on foot.

* * *

We trekked onwards through the fields of Route 111 as the sun hit its peak, unleashing the intense heat Hoenn was known for. I groaned in agony every few steps, and Combusken would agree each time. After a few hours, and some futile pleading for a foot masseuse to appear out of nowhere and save me, we came to the crest of the long incline and were finally able to survey the land ahead of and behind us.

Just a few hundred yards ahead, the path split in two. Taking the route on the left would, I realized, probably take us to the huge, smoggy mountain that had risen up from the horizon. _Where Lavaridge is…?_ The path on the right, in contrast, descended right off of what looked like a cliff between two towering rock faces and into a basin. The grass died out completely just a few feet ahead of us, too, giving way to dust and dirt. To put it simply, both paths looked equally grueling.

The wind picked up, all of the sudden, blowing towards the ocean. It was hot and dry and ruthless and offered no relief from the sun's heat.

"Well, we've gone pretty far, I'd say," I mentioned to Combusken as I turned around to scout out the land behind us. Though much of Hoenn was flat, we were at a high enough elevation that the ocean was just barely visible on the horizon, a lazy blue line atop layers of green and gray. "Lavaridge can't be too far ahead."

Combusken squawked and ran forward with its usual enthusiasm, and I followed. We sprinted down the hill, northbound once again. There were a few trainers scattered across Route 111, but not as many as the previous routes I'd been on, and most of them were campers, or other trainers packed for overnight travel. At one point, I glanced down at my bag with worried eyes; I hadn't come prepared to sleep overnight on the Route, but with my late start, it was unavoidable…

"_Busken_!"

"I-I know!" I called as another hotter, stronger gust of wind picked up, causing my Pokemon and I to cover our eyes. Dirt swirled around on the ground, collecting in between the laces of my shoes. After a few seconds, the wind died down enough for us to keep walking forward. "I feel like we're not going the right way… we should be heading back into a wooded area. Did we go right instead of left…?"

Nonetheless, we kept walking, and it might not have been the best choice. The dirt began to change into thick, soupy sand, and poured into my Running Shoes. Furthermore, the gusts of wind only became more and more frequent, until there was a constant gale that whipped up drifts of sand and sent them slamming against my face, as well as Combusken's.

"Urk…" I tried to dig out my Pokenav, but as soon as I lowered my arm again, a gross amount of sand blew into my mouth and I started coughing. "W-we're deffinitewy not gowing the wight way, Combusken! Wet's get ouwt of hewe!"

Combusken got a head start on me, hopping through the ankle-deep sand back the way we came. I took one last look at the smudge of harsh yellow stretching out ahead of us. A barren desert. Even if you did keep your eyes open for more than a few seconds, a wall of swept-up sand would obscure your view completely. It was impassable. Did Pokemon live here? Did people come here? I had no idea a place like this even existed in Hoenn.

With our backs to the sandstorm, however, we could see a little better, and I noticed how much the terrain had changed as we walked. The small rocky outcroppings were now jagged cliffs of a leathery maroon color, impossible to climb. _It's a good thing we turned back when we did,_ I thought, _or else we'd probably be trapped in here…_

I trudged onward with an uneasy feeling, and eventually, we hit solid ground again. I found the nearest boulder, sat down, and began dumping out the sand in my shoes and brushing it from my hair.

"_Combusken_," chirped my Pokemon, plopping down on a patch of dried up grass and looking hopeless.

"I know, I know…" I told it. I reached into my pocket, pulling out my Pokenav once again.

Sure enough, we'd headed the wrong way; Route 112, which led to Lavaridge, as well as Mt. Chimney, was west, not east.

One of my Pokeballs suddenly opened, and I jumped. Mightyena appeared in front of Combusken and I with a great flash of light.

"_Woof_!" It barked, nudging my arm and sniffing the air, and then started off in another direction. Combusken chirped furiously and ran after it.

"Hey, stop! You two!" I forced my shoe back on and ran after the creatures. "W-wait up!"

* * *

Sure enough, Mightyena had a much better sense of direction than Combusken and I – as well as a good nose – and it guided us back onto a path a little greener than Route 111, speckled with other traveling trainers here and there. I was staring into the Pokenav's screen as we walked; this was Route 112. The mountain – Mt. Chimney – wasn't far from here, and Lavaridge Town was apparently situated on the mountainside.

"That was some nice work, Mightyena," I told it. "How about a dinner break?"

It wagged its tail and barked again, clearly excited. Combusken made its way over to a nearby tree and sat down at the trunk while I dug through my bag and scrounged up a few berries for it to eat. With the sun sinking down behind the horizon, it had finally cooled off, and I took a breath as relief as a mild breeze blew through the route.

Mightyena dug into its meal as soon as I placed the leaf full of colorful berries onto the ground. _I'll have to buy more Pokemon food once I get to Lavaridge, _I thought with another sigh, watching the tie-dyed sky darken as the mountains swallowed up the rest of the sun. _It looks like we're going to spend the night here, after all…_

* * *

**A/N:** Meteor Falls soon! Originally this chapter was sort of fast but I went back and added a lot of descriptions when I saw that one ORAS image of Slateport/Mauville/Mt. Chimney, it was so pretty and I think the remake will do RSE's visuals a lot of justice.


	14. Route 113

**Chapter 14 – Into the North, Route 113**

I craned my neck upwards. Mt. Chimney loomed over us, a dark streak jutting into the sky. Unfortunately, the summit was covered in what appeared to be a cloud, so it was impossible to see where the mountain ended. The countless hills ahead were colored a reddish-brown and spotted with dark evergreen trees here and there. Like with the desert route, the scenery was rapidly changing. I absently wondered what kind of Pokemon I'd be able to find out there.

"'Mt. Chimney,'" I read. "'For Lavaridge Town or the Summit, please take the Cable Car located just ahead.' That sounds promising, doesn't it, Combusken? We won't have to climb the mountain!"

The Pokemon sighed in relief, wiping its forehead.

We marched onwards with new determination. The path from Mauville had been tough, sure, but now, Lavaridge was just around the corner, and we were going to get a free ride there! …_Or, at least, I hope it's free._

Carved into the mountainside were rough, lopsided stairs, covered in reddish, dried up pine needles and some kind of dust. They seemed to go on forever, and as we hiked, the air got thinner and I was forced to take more rests. But looking back over Route 112 and Route 111 was enough to get me going again - the rolling hills seemed so compact, now, and the path weaving towards Mt. Chimney was almost completely obscured by the rock faces decorating the routes.

Eventually I spotted a small, beat-up building in the distance, with two large, black cables extending out of its wall, up the cliffside, and into the clouds. _That's it…! _Grabbing Combusken, I bounded forward, anticipation driving each step, when suddenly…

_Them._

I skidded to a stop just a few yards from the entrance; lurking outside the building were a handful of men in _very_ familiar outfits.

"Team… Aqua?" I murmured quietly, sliding into the shadows of a nearby pine. "What are they doing here?"

Combusken shrugged, and shot a little flame from its beak as though indicating that it was ready to fight.

But I shook my head. "We shouldn't, Combusken. We don't know how many there are. "

It looked at me incredulously.

"I know, I know…! I don't think checking it out and seeing what they're up to would hurt, though…"

I called the rowdy Pokemon back into its ball in fear that it might deliberately blow my cover, and snuck closer to the perimeter of the building, hiding amongst the heavy evergreen branches. All sorts of twigs and thorns brushed against my legs – it was hard to stay still.

"…Uhg, what a pain. I can't believe we got stuck with guarding this place."

"Shut up. It's this, or hiking all the way over to Fallarbor Town."

The first grunt sighed. "Yeah, whatever. I don't know what's taking them so long, though. I really wanna try out that cable car."

"Tell me about it."

I scowled. _Fallarbor Town? Is Team Aqua there, now?_

_Crunch._

_Oh, shit…_

I turned around, eyes wide. A pinecone – I'd stepped on a pinecone. The two grunts glanced over in my direction.

"What the hell was that?"

"…I dunno. A Pokemon? Imagine that."

"Maybe it's that girl who pissed Archie off at Slateport," commented another.

They started to argue in rough, loud voices, and I took this as my chance to scurry off.

* * *

Eventually, I was out of sight of the Aqua grunts, and nearly collapsed on the ground. _T-that was too close… _

Combusken emerged from its Pokeball on its own and shook my leg in protest. "_Busken!"_

"No!" I told it. "We're not attacking them. That's a horrible idea!... But, we could…"

The Pokemon straightened.

"…Maybe… if we could get to Fallarbor, somehow, we could see just what it is they're doing… Plus, we'll need to explore that area, anyways, sooner or later… and we'll never get to Lavaridge at this rate. There's no way we're going back to Mauville… Hmm…"

The Pokemon squawked and began pacing in anticipation.

I whipped out the Pokenav and began scrolling through the menu – I was so used to finding the map that my hand seemed to move on its own. _Mt. Chimney… Fallarbor…_ There was one alternative route, aside from through the impassible desert, which was somehow still considered a route despite how harsh the conditions were. It was a short, but narrow, pass, through the heart of the mountain, titled "Fiery Path."

_I hope it doesn't involve intense heat, or lava, or anything, _I thought as I approached a nearby signpost. **Fiery Path**. It seemed to be referring to a crevice in the side of the mountain's face just little ways ahead, barely wide enough for someone to slip through. _It looks like we don't have any other options…_

With a nod to my Pokemon, I stumbled inside.

* * *

Thankfully, 'Fiery Path' was well-lit and didn't require Flash – Sableye was still in the Pokemon Daycare, so that would have been a lost cause, anyways. The cavern was full of unfamiliar Pokemon – Numel, Machop, and even a Torkoal were all over the place. They were passive, though, so I didn't bother battling them or trying to catch them. Combusken would've been jealous, if I did. They seemed to be at peace, too, curled up in groups, sleeping, or biting into patches of a pink igneous rock sticking out of the maroon stone that the cave was formed from. I smiled as I moved onward. The home the Pokemon had managed to find here was amazing.

After walking for some time, with no exit in sight, I stopped for a drink of water. As expected, the water – and the bottle itself – was warm. The temperature must've risen at least 15 degrees from the entrance. _Isn't it supposed to get cooler, the further you go underground_? I couldn't hear any outside sounds – not the whipping, upper-altitude wind, or the voices of hikers, or anything at all, aside from the scuffling of wild Pokemon and a very distant hum coming beneath the ground.

We stepped outside a few minutes later, back into the daylight, though it was now overcast and the sun wasn't peeking through anywhere. _Good riddance, _I thought, stretching. _It's hot enough already._

I assumed this was the upper section Route 111, past the long desert-area, which would mean Fallarbor Town was northward. We started off, and I initially kept Combusken by my side, but as we moved deeper into the Route, the air became thicker and hazier and I called it back in its Pokeball for the sake of safety. _Just what is this stuff…?_ I thought, stopping under a large tree that was also coated with the substance. _It can't be snow… but the texture and the way it's falling from the sky…_

The sky was a dusty tan color, now, and the weird substance didn't let up as I waited beneath the tree. With a sigh, I pulled off my bandana and brushed it, along with my hair, off, - the stuff was unfortunately sticky. Curious, I took off one of my gloves and stuck my hand out from under the tree's covering. A few flakes of the substance landed on it. It's… warm? How? I rolled it around between my fingers; it was too gritty to be a snowflake, but did leave behind residue. There's no way this is natural! Maybe it's Team Aqua's fault…

With a frown, I pulled out the Pokenav and scrolled over to Professor Birch's name, figuring he might know something about this weird phenomena. The fact that the thing even had service out here was astounding. There were no buildings, or, even, trainers, in sight. Just trees, winding cliffs, tall grass, and silence.

"Hello!" came the jolly voice from the other end.

"Professor Birch…?" I replied. "This is May."

"Oh! May! How is your Pokedex coming? Do you need it checked?"

Might as well, I thought, and listened to his evaluation. He pointed out that Water-types would be useful, and that Brendan was actually way ahead of me. I scoffed.

"Well, I don't think I'll be seeing many Water-types where I am, Professor," I told him. "The reason I called, was that… Route 113 is coated in this weird, thick, tan, snow-ish stuff. And it keeps falling. Is that… um… normal?"

There was a long pause, and then a hearty laugh came from the other side of the line. "Of course, May! You and your father both – such jokers! Haven't you ever seen ash before?"

I frowned. Joker? Wait, what?

"Route 113 is right next to Mt. Chimney, and downwind from the peak. It's always like that, around there, so relax! It's perfectly normal! I am interested in how the Pokemon there have adapted to the conditions, though, so make sure you keep your Pokedex handy and take lots of notes!"

"…Ash…?" I muttered. "…Ash! This stuff is ash?! Of course…! But… W-wait, why is it… coming from Mt. Chimney?" This isn't some weird Hoenn phenomenon no one's told me about, is it?!

There was another pause, and then, Birch, in a somewhat-worried tone, responded, "Well, Mt. Chimney is an active volcano. Typically, volcanoes tend to release smoke and ash and all sorts of fumes from their peaks, you see… This can sometimes cause problems, such as acid rain, and-"

"A volcano?!" I muttered to myself again, covering my mouth. "Holy crap…! An active volcano…?!"

I ran back into the open and turned around, covering my forehead with one hand so as to shield my eyes from the falling ash as I gawked.

Sure enough, through the thick cloud covering – ash, it was ash! – the silhouette of Mt. Chimney could be seen. I hadn't even noticed it since I'd left Fiery Path, and felt somewhat dumb as I stood there gaping at the huge formation. So that's where it took me. Literally right to the other side of the mountain – err, volcano.

"May? Hello?"

"Oh!" I brought the phone back to my ear. "Um, thanks, Professor. Well, I should get going."

"Righto! Best of luck, then! Don't get lost!"

I stuffed away the Pokenav and found my way back over to the path. Ash. Imagine that. It looked so much like snow, though darker, and it stuck to my shoes in the same way. Combusken popped back out of its Pokeball and strutted alongside me, leaving weird four-toed footprints in the soft, ash-coated grass. I was, once again, amazed by how exotic Hoenn really was.

* * *

We trudged onwards for what could've been hours – time was almost nonexistent here. I scanned the landscape, marveling at all the new sights there were to be seen; strange, scrawny trees, with gnarled branches and dry, circular leaves, with a thick coating of ash that reminded me of Mightyena's fur coat, and hillsides blanketed in pure, untouched ash, and clumps of grass that, when rustled, would shed the grayish substance like a snake would with its skin, and even ninja Pokemon trainers leaping from the underbrush to surprise-attack me. Far up above us, there was a lighter blotch in the sea of tan – the sun – and, though just barely noticeable, silhouettes of some huge Flying-type Pokemon would occasionally circle around us and then quietly disappear off into the distance. There was also an abundance of a bizarre Pokemon called Spinda, according to the Pokedex, and I captured one of them, planning to send it over to Birch for research once we arrived at Fallarbor.

Gradually, the ash cleared, revealing a beautiful indigo sky spotted with dozens upon dozens of stars. A full moon illuminated the remainder of the route ahead of us; the ashen grasslands quickly gave way to rolling, maroon hills and a couple farms, though the crops didn't seem to be doing very well. I could see why. Even further out, on the horizon, was a shimmering body of water and more rock formations.

Fallarbor Town snuck up on us, revealing itself as we reached the crest of one of the dusty hills. The land lowered back down, further and further, and at the foot of this descent was a cluster of buildings. _It's tiny_, I thought_, compared to Mauville… Heck, it's probably even smaller than Verdanturf_… I was sure that it was Fallarbor, though, due to the shiny red roof of a Pokemon Center.

_Team Aqua… what are they up to, now…? _"Let's hurry, Combusken!"

* * *

**A/N: **I like to imagine northern Hoenn as being really rural and calm. Also, if anyone wants to respond to this, do you think May should get Salamence, Flygon, or neither? And Cradily or Armaldo? I'm having a pretty hard time deciding and it'd be great to get some input on this!


	15. Magma vs Aqua: Meteor Falls

**A/N: **Chapter 15! One of my favorite parts is coming up. And thanks a bunch to those of you who reviewed! It helps a lot. So far, Salamence and Cradily are in the lead. It was a pain to get Salamence in RSE because you had to go all the way into Meteor Falls and then it didn't evolve until level 50.

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Team Magma vs. Team Aqua Part 1: Chaos at Meteor Falls**

I stumbled out of the Pokemon Center the next day, still half-asleep, to find a fair amount of people gathered in the square of the town, chatting loudly._ Something like this… is probably pretty rare in a town as small as this, _I mused to myself as I glanced around_. Fallarbor is still really cozy and hospitable, though_… When I'd slinked into the Pokemon Center the previous night, the Nurse Joy had bounded up to me, asking if I wanted a hot bowl of soup and a room, and I'd been too tired to decline.

Curiosity piqued, I floated over to the group and tried my best to blend in with the crowd. Unfortunately, it was difficult to do this, as most of the townspeople were much older than me and didn't exactly look like traveling trainers.

"…But Ms. Cozmo, I'm tellin' you, you just shouldn't get involved with those folks," grumbled an old man, scratching his beard.

Another woman nodded. "Have you seen the news, lately? Apparently, down in the city, they've been doing all kinds o' suspicious things. I heard they tried to flood a museum, and lock everyone inside to drown…!"

"Really? I heard that they robbed a famous scientist. And apparently there's a conspiracy theory floating around that they've been launching attacks on Devon and stealing their equipment, and that Devon's even dispatched an elite trainer to stop them!" This was one of the younger citizens, wearing a sun hat and ragged, worn clothes.

"Is it the same trainer that was at the museum in the city?"

Another younger woman spoke up. There was a strange Pokemon on her head, and it eyed me with two big black orbs. "Hold on! They're just activists that want to help the habitats of sea Pokemon, which have been nearly destroyed by humans!"

I took out my Pokedex, stealthily, and placed a gloved finger over the speaker so as to muffle the entry of her Pokemon; apparently, it was called 'Azurill.' _It's cute!_

"Yeah, I agree," said a different man. "There's nothing to worry about, Ms. Cozmo. It's all just rumors. Your husband is probably helping a good cause."

The woman in the center of all the commotion seemed to relax a little, but her eyes still contained much worry. "Thank you, everyone. But please, just return to your daily lives. What my husband does is his business."

With much grumbling and bickering amongst themselves, the town meeting disbanded, and I contemplated approaching the woman; by the sounds of it, her husband had involved himself with Team Aqua in some way, and was currently out of town…

…_Wait, _I thought. _Fallarbor Town is the place those grunts were talking about. _I waved my head back and forth, looking for any signs of the blue bandanas – or suspicious activity, in general – but found none. There wasn't much here, so I figured it'd be obvious if they were making trouble. _Then, where are they…? And what are they up to, out here, in the middle of nowhere?_

"Oh! Do you need something, trainer?"

I turned around, meeting the woman's questioning gaze. _Ms. Cozmo. _"I… No, I was just looking for someone…"

She smiled. "Oh! On a countryside retreat with your boyfriend?"

My eyebrows shot up. "U-um! I am not! I just… W-what was that about Team Aqua, they were saying…? And your husband?"

The woman's mood seemed to dampen. "Y-yes… He left on an operation just recently, after a few members of this Team Aqua showed up asking for help. He normally works in the Mossdeep Space Station, you see, so it's strange for him to have to make a research trip way out west… and eventually, I found out that it _wasn't _a business trip. He was working for a third-party organization. Apparently, they need his great knowledge of astrology for something in Meteor Falls…"

…_Meteor Falls…? _I thought, pulling out my Pokenav. Sure enough, there was a path leading to an enormous cave titled "Meteor Falls" right here in Fallabor; Route 114. Without thinking, I put away the Pokenav and ran off, calling a quick thanks back to the woman.

_Meteor Falls… Meteor Falls… What is that Team Aqua doing there? And why is Mt. Chimney closed off, by their grunts…? _I huffed, keeping up a steady jog as the humble landscape of Fallarbor sunk back into ashy dirt and farmland.

After a lot of running, and a lot of heavy breathing, I slowed down, glancing off to my right at a tiny cottage nestled in between two cliffs of a brilliant orange. There appeared to be someone standing outside, looking around… almost frantically?

"Hello?" yelled the person.

I blinked. _Are they talking to me?_

Sure enough, the figure – a little kid, now that I looked closer – was waving their arms at me. "Hello! Please, come quickly!"

I was a little taken aback, but approached the boy.

"Can… can I help you?"

"Y-yes, please!" he exclaimed, walking in place nervously. "It's my older brother! Hurry!

Still very surprised at this sudden urgency, I followed the boy inside his home. It was a mess; furniture was strewn all across the tatami flooring, and dirty clothes and cans of cola were piled up here and there. But there was an even bigger abnormality. In the back of the room, I noticed, was a huge opening, similar to a doorway. However, it looked more like a Rhyhorn rammed through the wall, than a professional came and cut it methodically.

The boy pointed inside the gaping hole in the wall, still pacing anxiously. "My brother just cried out, inside his room, there. He was digging for fossils, a-and… I think the cave might've collapsed on him!"

I frowned. _Cave? Room? Huh!? _"Um, okay. I'll… check it out for you, then…" _Is this kid too scared to go in here? Why?_

I took one step through the "doorway" and understood the child's fears. The "walls" stretched outward, made of dark, jagged rock, and the ceiling was very low, almost enough to consider the area more of a _crawlspace_ than a cave. There were ropes here and there, almost like signs that someone had been… excavating. This kid's older brother… had been _mining_ in his _backyard_.

_Then… if the cave really did collapse… Uh-oh…!_ I dashed forwards. I eventually started hearing some kind of moaning noise ahead of me, and slowed down, rounding a corner to where light poured out from an oil lamp, and…

"Oh! I'm so glad I finally found you!"

"Huh?!" I exclaimed.

Seated on the ground in front of me was a pubescent boy, probably younger, even, than me, with messy black hair and a lot of acne. Cradled in his arms was a rock.

The picture stirred up something buried in my many memories, but I couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"Ohh, oh! I've been looking for so long… I'm so happy!" he yelled loudly, gazing down at his discovery with twinkling eyes.

I stood there for what felt like a long time until he finally glanced up at me, adjusting his glasses. "Oh."

"Um."

"Who are you?" he asked, standing up. "What do you want?"

I blinked. "Well, your little brother said he thought the cave collapsed-"

"Uhg. Bro!" he cried down what I guess you could call a "hallway". His voice resembled what I'd imagine a very small, angry rodent to sound like. "I told you, I'm not going to yell if I've been crushed to death! I wouldn't be _able_ to!"

"B-but big bro-"

"I _always_ yell out when I find a Pokemon fossil! That's just how we fossil maniacs _work!_" he exclaimed back, sighing. "Anyways, I'm alive, as you can see. Is there anything else you need?"

I ignored his somewhat snobbish attitude and observed the thing in his arms. "So, is that… a Pokemon fossil…?"

The boy glanced down at it, almost protectively, and then back at me, eyes flashing. "Yes, it _is_."

I lit up. "Really…? That's amazing. I-I mean, I knew Kanto and Johto had lots of Pokemon fossils hidden in the Ruins of Alph, and stuff, but I never imagined-"

"Don't get so close," he snapped as I took a step towards him. "You'll scare her."

I froze. …_Her?_

"I'm going to get her revived, someday… They say there are scientists out there that have managed to create machine prototypes that actually bring ancient Pokemon back to life," he murmured affectionately, stroking the rock with one hand.

I suddenly realized what this scene reminded me of, and, for the first time in a while, started laughing uncontrollably.

The boy narrowed his eyes. "What's so funny, Kanto hick? Is there something wrong?"

Placing one hand on the wall and taking a few deep breaths, I replied, "I-it's nothing. You just remind me of someone I met a while ago. Well, it's not that he's totally _similar_ to you, but- hey! I'm not from Kanto, I'm from Johto!"

"Look, kid, I don't have any time for your stupid _mortal_ shenanigans. I have a new fossil to care for. Tell my brother to stop inviting trainers in here; they always ask for my precious belongings." He turned his back to me, dusting off a spot on the ground and setting the artifact down. "If someone like you _really_ wants a fossil, you should look on Route 111, since they usually float up to surface after a bad sandstorm…"

I frowned. "Alright, then…? Thank you?" _Sorry for wanting to help._

I made my way back to the actual cottage, catching the younger boy's eyes.

"My big brother is really nice, isn't he?" he commented in the sweetest tone possible. "I think the holes he digs are amazing, but I'm too scared to go in there myself..."

I somehow managed a smile. "Yeah. He's nice."

"Oh! Here," he murmured, shyly holding out what I took to be a TM. "It's the TM for Dig. Thank you for rushing over here to help, even if it turns out he was only excited about another fossil! I hope I didn't waste your time, Miss…"

I accepted the TM and, rubbing the back of my head, thanked him.

I'd only made it to the cottage's front doorway when a loud, _genuine_ scream came from the cave, followed by a familiar Pokemon cry. I spun around, squinting into the cave. _Was that…_

Sure enough, there was Combusken, scurrying towards me, and the fossil maniac ambling after it, waving his arms in fury. I stood there until I noticed that the end of his shirt was on fire, and at that point, I bolted, too. Combusken leaped onto my back as I swung the door closed, and we took off down Route 114, snickering to ourselves, TM still in hand.

* * *

"Oh, you're May, correct?"

My eyes widened. I'd stumbled inside a cottage on Route 114, nestled between the huge rock faces and just a 5-minute walk from the nearby lake, to be greeted with _this_.

"I know, it's a bit cluttered. Oh, I'm so embarrassed…" The girl's frizzy red hair, bound in two braids, and beat-up glasses rang a bell in my head, and I tried to think back as to who this was. "For someone who designs and updates the Pokemon Storage System, this is pretty surprising, right? I bet Bill's place is way more tidy... I always tell myself that I need to clean, but I never get to it… being a programmer is taxing. I hope you'll understand, May."

_Pokemon Storage System… That's right! _"Lanette!" I smiled. I'd met her back in Fallarbor, in the Pokemon Center – she was using the PC when I got there, and sure enough, she actually designed the Pokemon boxes. I was amazed, to say the least. "It's okay, I won't tell anyone."

She laughed, shoving around some papers on her desk. "Thanks. I don't have a lot I can give you in thanks, so I hope you like Pokedolls!"

I jumped as a brown plushie was tossed in my direction, and barely caught it. It looked like an acorn.

"Seedot! It lives in forested areas, and evolves into Nuzleaf, and then Shiftry," she told me, walking over. "Anyways, what are you doing in these parts?"

I bit my tongue as I fiddled with the Pokedoll in my hands. _I'm just another trainer. I'm just another trainer. I'm not up to anything weird._ "Catching Pokemon, actually."

"Oh! Really! Have you already caught one? And in that case, do you need to, y'know, box another?" She elbowed me, raising an eyebrow. I'd never seen anyone so worked up about storing Pokemon.

Fortunately, I _had _actually caught a Pokemon while crossing the lake, called Lombre. But, counting on my fingers, I'd left Fallarbor with five. "Nope, I think I only have six. But the Pokemon I caught was called Lombre."

She nodded, fiddling around in a pile of papers. She was a bit like a bird, I thought. _Professor Birch and her would get along._ "Lombre's the evolved form of Lotad. A lot of them live around here, and to be honest, I'm happy you're lowering the population – they're total tricksters. If you ever wonder why my glasses are so beat up, they're why. They make my trips to Fallarbor a living hell."

I rubbed the back of my head and gave an exasperated smile. "Well, I guess I'll stay on guard with mine, then." _The Pokedex didn't tell me that._ "Anyways, I have to get going."

_Meteor Falls is waiting._

"Well, okay, then! Be careful, if you go into the caves."

With a gulp, I turned and left.

* * *

The mid-afternoon sun emerged from behind a cloud and beat down on my face as I closed the door to Lanette's cottage behind me.

_Shoot,_ I thought, gazing up at the sky. _That was too long a delay… That Professor Cozmo guy, and Team Aqua… I need to get to Meteor Falls, quickly…_

Combusken and I darted forward. Ahead of us, bright tan rocks jutted out from the fields and baked contently under the sun as if waiting for my arrival. I waded through the last of the waist-high grass, noticing a few campers and their Pokemon here and there – it definitely was a big hiking place, I assumed – and began climbing.

However, time continued to pass and still I didn't find anything resembling a cave entrance, even after following the directions of a number of hikers. Finally, I formulated a plan.

"Wingull!" I called, throwing up the Pokemon's ball. "Try and find any kind of gap or crevice!"

The bird emerged from its ball and squawked in response. I waited a while, snacking on what scraps of food I had left, and trying to quell the anxiousness stirring in my gut.

"_Gull_!"

After just a few minutes, Wingull appeared once more from behind a nearby boulder and hovered in front of me, squawking repeatedly in agitation. I jogged after it as it guided me through a maze of boulders and ledges until, eventually, we came to a huge, hidden hole in one of the many cliffs, with a small post next to it reading "METEOR FALLS – RUSTBORO CITY THROUGH HERE".

Without another thought, I ran inside.

* * *

Meteor Falls was, as the name might imply, beautiful. The rock was a light, creamy color, with streams of crystal-clear water meandering between boulders and ridges here and there. Sunlight flickered in from gaps far above, speckling the cave's floor and pools, and making the interior well-lit; I was especially grateful for this, since Sableye was my Flash Pokemon, and I'd left it in the Daycare all the way back near Mauville.

I strolled around, eyes widened and holding a huge grin, marveling at how unique the place was; there were craters here and there, and an abundance of stalactites, and even a few waterfalls in the distance. It was a sight you'd never see in Johto. I almost felt like I was on another planet. And it was cool, too. Unlike the hot, sticky air outside, the caverns were a comfortable temperature and a little breezy.

I ran my hand down the side of a wall; the rock was curvy, and rippled, like a statue carved by a professional sculptor. It was then that I heard an echo.

The echo was not the pittering and pattering of Combusken's feet, nor was it the soothing sound of the streams. It came from deeper within the caves, from a dark corner on the other side of the cave's central lake and waterfall. It sounded almost like…

…A yell. Of… a man…?

I slowly turned my head down a nearby hall, just across a small wooden bridge to my left.

There it was again.

Combusken seemed to have noticed it too. It bounced up to my side, bristling uneasily. I remembered how agitated Wingull had seemed, as well. _Could that be… Aqua?_

I nodded at my Pokemon and stealthily made my way into the tunnel. It was difficult not to make any noise, what with all the pebbles here and there that would roll about should you step on them, but the amount of noise coming from the other end of the walkway drowned out any scratching sound Combusken or I may have made.

Eventually, the tunnel opened up to another bright chamber, similar to the last…

…But with a completely different atmosphere.

Scattered across the far side of the chamber were about a dozen or so people. And Pokemon. Pokemon fighting each other. _No, now that I look closer… Those people are fighting each other, too… And… And… Pokemon, fighting people, too? What's going on here?!_

I immediately recognized half of the fighting group as Team Aqua; they wore those same blue and white uniforms – though, now dirtied, wet, or bloodstained – and were commanding the same Pokemon as before – Poochyena, Mightyena, Carvahna, Zubat…

…_But who are those guys in the red…? _I thought, observing closer. They seemed to be collectively fighting against Team Aqua. _Why…?_

"_Ugh_…"

"Shut up!"

"Heh… Now that we have the Meteorite, we should get outta here before Team Magma catches up with us. Thanks, Cozmo."

There was another groan. I frantically looked around for the source of the conversation until my eyes fell on a group of Aqua grunts, tucked away in a little crater hidden by stalactites, all gathered around a man –without a uniform – curled up on the ground.

_Is that… That's…!_

I hurried over to the group to get a better look; the man on the ground was now reaching out to a pair of cracked glasses laying just a few feet in front of him. His other hand was clutching his stomach. And he was wearing a lab coat. _A lab coat…_

One of the grunts, who was holding some sort of encased object, slid over towards the glasses and kicked them further away from the struggling man before chuckling to himself. Another rammed his shoe into the man's stomach. There was an audible _crunch _from his knuckles.

"Whatever. Let's get out of here, already…! If we're lucky, we can just pin this all on Team Magma n' call it a day," one rumbled. The others nodded in agreement.

I froze as they all turned towards me.

"…Huh? Who the hell are you? Magma?"

I swallowed, gaze moving once again to the beaten man. His eyes met mine, pitifully, and I knew that without those glasses he probably couldn't see me very well, but I hoped he'd see what I was about to do. I drew a ball from my belt.

One of the grunts looked like he was going to call out a Pokemon in response, but another stopped him.

"Wait," he warned, wary eyes trained on me. "I think… I think that's _the girl."_

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Wait, you're right, man. That… that is her! The one Archie mentioned."

I frowned. "What are you talking about? And why are you beating up this man? Isn't Team Aqua… a _non-violent activist group_?" I doubted every word of that, but stood my ground nonetheless. I wanted to believe they were. I wanted to believe I hadn't accidentally made myself an enemy of a group that… that did things like _this._

The largest grunt gave the beaten man another glance, smirking. He recoiled, backing against a rock. "Well, that's what we tell the news guys, yeah. But you – you're that lady that got Archie so pissed at during the Slateport operation, aren't you?"

They stepped forward. I retreaded back some, swallowing, and held a defiant expression. "What if I am? I'm not letting any of you grunts get away with something as sick as this!" I grew angrier by the minute. "He has a wife back home worried sick about him! And she actually believes that you guys are good people!"

I was still wondering about Team Magma when we were suddenly interrupted.

"Team Aqua!" came a new voice, piercing the grunting and growling coming from the nearby brawl. The grunts closing in on me simultaneously turned around to see who the newcomer was.

"What do you thugs think you're doing? You're not going anywhere with that meteorite!"

A towering man strode towards our group. His face was long and defined – it was obvious that he frowned often. Fiery hair stretched down to his shoulders, contrasting with his pale skin, and an impressive red trench coat shifted back and forth as he stepped towards us. Two beady, furious eyes scrutinized the group of Aqua goons surrounding me.

After a moment of silence, the lead grunt shuffled in place and let out a nervous snicker. "So nice of you to finally join us, Magma!"

The opposing man's gaze flicked off to the small clearing where the beaten man lay, and then back to the Aqua grunts, narrowing in a glare. "I see… So, then, all the chaos out there was a distraction. Expected from one as nefarious as Archie…" He then seemed to notice me, but his expression did not change. "And you dragged not one, but _two_ innocents into this?"

Another grunt rolled her eyes. "Quit playing. It's too late for you guys, now. _We _have the meteorite! Mt. Chimney will be Aqua's victory!"

The man's expression tightened. His thin eyebrows lowered, and suddenly he nodded his head so quickly that I wondered if he'd actually moved or if he'd just twitched. Then, four other men, dressed in red garb similar to that of the people out in the main chamber fighting each other, stepped out from the shadows, holding Pokeballs in each hand. They were much more composed than the Aqua grunts, I noticed, and had beady, determined eyes. Their hair was short cut and their skin was, like the first red-dressed man, white to the point where they might've glowed in the dark, in contrast to Team Aqua's tanner skin that identified them as either Hoenn natives or people who were out in the sun often.

The Aqua grunts exchanged nervous glances.

"Forget about the girl," one muttered. "Let's just run."

"Yeah. We have the Meteorite. Besides, we're outnumbered."

"'aight."

Without another word, the group of thugs sprinted past me back towards the entrance to Meteor Falls, encased item in hand. I watched them go before turning back to the red-clothed men with a wary look. _I could run, but… that beaten man must be Professor Cozmo. His wife is expecting him back in Fallarbor… Plus, if this is 'Team Magma'… are they… good, if they're trying to stop Aqua…?_

Before I could make a move, however, the Team Magma man approached me. His bodyguards seemed to back off a bit, and his expression had loosened, but I still stumbled backwards as he closed in on me.

"And who might you be?" he questioned. His voice was solid and unrelenting, and I could see why his subordinates appeared to be so obedient.

After a pause, I mustered, "I'm a trainer." My heart beat faster, and I felt a bead of sweat drip down the back of my neck. He didn't seem satisfied with my response. "My name is May." I spat the words out.

His eyes narrowed. "I see. I am the leader of Team Magma, Maxie."

I almost flinched. I was _this_ close to flinching. But I held my ground still, a neutral grimace carved onto my face. _Team Magma…_

Maxie backed off a little. "It seems that you may already realize that Team Aqua's plans for the future will do everything but assist mankind. They are selfish, and working for themselves, and their intentions are a danger to everyone. That is why Team Magma is working to dismantle them and their cause, no matter the costs."

I glanced off to the side. "So, then, your group doesn't see them as activists?"

"Not at all."

"I already knew they weren't – I was there when they attacked Captain Stern in Slateport." I still remembered the incident clearly, as well as how disoriented I was after coming face-to-face with Archie. The memory of him – his gruesome face – flashed in my mind, and I clenched my teeth together. _He'll be mad that I tried to get in Team Aqua's way again, won't he…?_

The frown Maxie had nearly sculpted onto his face deepened. "By the looks of it, I suppose you have met Archie, as well. His crimes at Slateport – as well as many other places and events, many of which you do not know about – are unforgivable. I wish to obliterate Team Aqua."

_Is he going to suggest… I ally with them…? _I thought, uncertainty building up inside my head. I pushed the idea away and hummed in acknowledgement.

"Sir," one of the grunts blended into the shadows croaked, face shrouded by his hood, "we should hurry to Mt. Chimney. Team Aqua's plan will soon be in action. As you said before, the results could be catastrophic for this area."

Maxie straightened and nodded at his subordinate. "Very well." He turned to me with a look of determination. "Team Magma adores this land we stand on, and will not tolerate Team Aqua's plans to reduce it. However, I cannot promise _your_ safety; involvement with them is dangerous. You should keep an eye out for yourself. There is no telling what Team Aqua might accomplish at Mt. Chimney."

I ignored the anxiety swirling around in my stomach and gave a sold nod. Maxie muttered something to one grunt, who ran off back towards the now waning fight, and then followed the others back through the tunnel towards the entrance to the cave. I stood there, watching, and thinking.

_Oh! Professor Cozmo..!_ I thought all of the sudden, sprinting over to the spot where the man still lay and kneeling at his side.

"Are you okay?" I questioned, picking up his glasses, which were now cracked in one lens.

He managed to sit up and took his glasses from me with a trembling hand. I frowned. "It's quite alright. I'd rather it be my glasses than my life…"

The man then adjusted the glasses onto his nose and looked at me. "You are… a trainer? Did you fight off that Team Aqua…?"

I shook my head. "But they're gone, now, so… it's all clear."

He sighed. "I'm such a fool, I really am… They said they wanted my assistance for an excavation project relating to the deep sea and such, but I never imagined they'd turn on me and use me to find that Meteorite…"

I helped the man to his feet, interested in the meteorite. "What is that, anyways? It seemed like it was very important to Aqua."

He broke into a coughing fit, and I helped guide him back towards the entrance to the cave, patiently awaiting the answer.

"It's an artifact-" _Cough! _"That I've been studying for quite some time. I didn't have the tools or assistance necessary to find it, though… And now, Team Aqua has stolen it… from me… I should have believed those rumors about them…!"

We stepped back into the sunlight, which was now casting long shadows across the Route and canyons.

"It's okay, really. I'll get it back for you." I reassured him, though my words were empty; I had no idea how I would stop whatever was about to transpire at Mt. Chimney.

He lit up. "Would you really…? Thank you, trainer."

I nodded. "But your wife is waiting for you, Mr. Cozmo. Your top priority… should be her, right now, so don't worry about the meteorite."

Mr. Cozmo nodded, standing up straighter. "I'll head back there right now, then! Thank you again, trainer!"

* * *

Unfortunately, Mr. Cozmo ended up collapsing a little ways down the trail, and I had to get Mightyena out to drag him over to the nearest house; Lanette's cottage was, thankfully, right on the water's edge, not to far from the cave's entrance. She reluctantly allowed Mr. Cozmo and I to stay the night, and knowing she would be suspicious of me, I slipped out while the girl was busy cleaning up a space for him to lay.

'_It's not so bad', I'd thought, 'I'll get to hike out under the stars and moon', I'd thought…_

I stomped across the wooden bridge in complete darkness. No stars were in sight, and not even the light of the moon was visible through the thick covering of clouds that had swept across the sky in just over an hour. The only thing keeping me walking was the faint fiery glow of Mt. Chimney off to the right. Mt. Chimney… Team Aqua. The thoughts gnawed at the back of my mind, keeping me just barely awake, like I was hypnotized, or like I was a zombie.

_Tired…_ I thought as I trudged through the rusty soil of Fallarbor's outskirts. _So… tired…_


	16. Magma vs Aqua: Mt Chimney

**A/N: **Long battle, and veery long chapter! Had lots of fun with this part and the Mt. Chimney scene is probably my favorite part of the game, next to when Kyogre wakes up. I think the remakes will make it 10x cooler.

Most of what I have to say will be in the post-chapter A/N so I'll shut up. One last thing, if I had to recommend anything to listen to right now it'd be xtremethomas on Youtube's "Team Magma &amp; Aqua Leader Battle Orchestra Remix", it's _so_ good and I listened to it like a billion times at least while writing this part.

* * *

**Chapter 16 – Team Magma vs. Team Aqua Part 2: Showdown on Mt. Chimney **

**3:47AM**

The numbers on the Pokenav's bright screen made my stomach twist. 3:47 in the morning, and I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep.

I rolled over so I was facing the wall and sighed. But no amount of sighing or taking deep breaths was quelling the uneasiness that had taken hold of my mind. Every time I was close to dozing off, more thoughts would stir back up in my head and I'd be wide awake again. Physically, I was beat; the moment I'd gotten back to the Pokemon Center, I'd gone straight to a room and fallen into the bed with my normal clothes on. But mentally, I was wide awake. It was horrible – I'd never had insomnia this bad before.

_Maybe that's just it… Maybe my clothes are just making me feel off. _I pulled off the unwashed garments until I was down to an undershirt and shorts. I felt significantly cooler, but still, that _feeling _was still gnawing at my mind. I fell backwards once more onto the sheets and placed one arm on my forehead.

I knew what it was.

The Meteorite – Team Aqua.

A steady stream of thoughts flowed through my head once again, all focused on the villainous team. _Where are they right now? Are they already at the volcano with the Meteorite? They probably have people posted everywhere. What if Team Magma stopped them? What's going to happen? What's Archie gonna do? What should _I _do? I said I would get Mr. Cozmo's Meteorite back, but here I am, sleeping. Or trying to, at least… But who else can I rely on to get it back? Especially if it might already be too late? Cozmo would be hurt and alone, lying in Meteor Falls, right now, if it weren't for me. No one else was coming for him… I-I can't get up, though, not without getting some rest. I'm exhausted… But…_

I moved my gaze to the window. The blinds were half open, and my room happened to be on the side of the Pokemon Center facing south. In the distance, I could see the massive silhouette of Mt. Chimney against the moonlit sky, complete with the puffy cloud of ash around the peak and the faint red glow where tons and tons of magma probably sat. _What's he going to do with a meteorite at a volcano, anyways…? It has 'special properties', right? So maybe he'll make it rain, and then it'll flow down the volcano and flood the towns around here… But that's so unrealistic… But, I don't have any other ideas… Aqua does want to 'expand the ocean', after all…_

The uneasy thoughts continued and finally I accepted that sleeping was something I wasn't going to be able to accomplish. There were more important things I had to deal with, and they laid in waiting at the top of Mt. Chimney. I stared out the window at the peak as I threw my clothes back on and packed up. In my reflection, I could see the little orange light in my two eyes. It was beckoning. The Meteorite was beckoning – I had to get it back, and I might already be too late.

* * *

"Uhhg, uhg… So hot," I groaned as I stepped out of the Route 112 end of Fiery Path. The sun had only risen around a half an hour ago, and already, Hoenn's heat was no less relentless than that of the volcanic cavern. Mightyena whimpered in agreement, tail waving about lazily. "The cable station should be up here, though… Hopefully those Aqua guys already left."

Sure enough, the small tin building held no other people besides a friendly receptionist that let me right onto the chairlift. It rattled uneasily as I stepped in, and I called Mightyena back into its Pokeball, knowing it wouldn't enjoy the ride.

The cable car chairlift faintly reminded me of the Magnet Train, in Johto; it was an engineering breakthrough, and effectively one of the many prides of my home region. I'd never been able to actually ride in it, though, as it wasn't planned to be finished for another two-ish years, and, of course, my family had no business in Kanto except for one occasion when my father traveled to Saffron City for a Gym Leader assessment. But just sitting down in the Cable Car filled me with that same excitement I'd got imagining what riding in the Magnet Train would be like. Adventure. Everything up until now had only been the beginning of my Pokemon journey.

The woman waved at me, and, with a lurch, the car started forwards, moving at a steady pace up and out of the building. My eyes widened and I pressed my face to the window.

Out beyond the car stretched Route 112, a verdant green splash among the red and orange cliffs. And behind me was the desert, camouflaged by a cloud of dust and sand. I widened my eyes even more as I spotted the cityscape of Mauville even further down, and the glittering blue inlet beside it. Weaving across that inlet was a thin, black line, like a snake, shining in the intense sunlight; the Cycling Road. And Slateport's silhouette was visible too, on the edge of the ocean, a mass of shiny silver skyscrapers and huge boats. Once I was high enough on the mountainside, I began looking for the small clearing among the green mass of southern Hoenn that was Littleroot Town, but my search was interrupted by the same sort of ash-rain I'd seen on Route 114. My gaze moved towards the front of the car, and, sure enough, through the thick fiber-glass window I spotted a massive brown silhouette shrouded with ash that had to be the peak of Mt. Chimney._ We're here…_

Nervousness, of course, had to then swell up in my gut again. _I can't be optimistic. Not when Team Aqua and Magma probably beat me here already, with that… Meteorite._

The car came to a stop, gliding into a station similar to the one at the bottom of the mountain, and the door slid open with another grinding shriek.

"Is this the peak…?" I asked as I walked into the station. It was empty except for the one receptionist, who had big bags under her eyes and seemed like she'd seen a ghost. The lobby was rather trashy, too, like it hadn't been cleaned in a while, and there were scratch marks all over the floors and walls.

She nodded profusely at me, not saying a word. _Whatever, _I thought with a tilt of my head before stepping outside.

The first thing I did was, of course, cough, having gotten a mouthful of ash. _Yuck! It's a lot stronger up here._ Pressing open Aron's Pokeball, I surveyed the surrounding area; there were crags and strange rock formations everywhere, looking dirty, and covered in ash. The amazing view that one might get of the Hoenn region this far up was blocked out by an impenetrable wall of gray. And the ash itself was falling steadily, like snow in a blizzard.

But what caught my attention the most was the battles. Scattered around the cable station and in front of what I assumed was the path down the other side of the mountain were Team Aqua and Team Magma grunts, engaged in fights that thankfully ended with Pokemon and didn't extend to man vs. man. Many of the humans actually looked injured, with arms poorly wrapped in medical tape, faded red scratches on their legs and arms, and tears in their signature uniforms. But each still had an animalistic look on their face as they shouted out orders to their Poochyena.

Luckily, the Aqua grunts down here were too distracted with Team Magma to block my way, so I began hiking towards the peak. Ash continued falling in all directions, collecting in my hair, but I brushed it off every few minutes and trudged onwards. The air itself was more of a nuisance – it smelled and tasted putrid, making me feel like I couldn't get a full, deep breath as I labored up the face of the mountain.

I eventually got to the top of the last crest. Before me stretched at least two dozen more grunts of each team fighting intensely, and further out was the main spectacle; an enormous crater glowing a hot, discomforting red. My feet felt heavy and I started sweating even more. _This is it. The peak._

After catching whatever breath I could and readying myself, I ran forward, looking frantically for any sign of the Meteorite, or for that Archie guy, who, with my luck, would be the mastermind behind this ordeal.

"You! May!" A yell of distress interrupted my thoughts. A few yards off to the left was Maxie, face twisted with fight. In front of him, fending off three Poochyena owned by Aqua grunts whose expressions mimicked those of their Pokemon, was a monstrous Mightyena. "Archie and the rest of Team Aqua are on the rim of the volcano! They plan to harness the stolen Meteorite's power and use it to deactivate the volcano's activities, which would in turn destroy the surrounding ecosystems!"

My expression tightened. _Ruin the ecosystem? But the ash is… _Images of Route 114 and the Pokemon – as well as people – managing to live there flashed back into my mind. _That's… That's true. The Pokemon there rely on the ash, and the heat, as crazy as it sounds… And… the meteorite… can shut down a volcano? Is that kind of power even possible!?_

"You must hurry!" Maxie yelled again as his Mightyena tossed one of the Poochyena into another. "They must be nearing the final stages of their plan, by now!"

I shook my head, brought myself back to reality, and shouted back, "Okay!"

_The rim of the volcano. That's where I'm headed. That's where Archie is…! I can't let him shut down this volcano!_ I thought as I raced forward through the chaos.

* * *

With the help of the ever-resilient Aron, as well as my other Pokemon, I fought through the same throng of grunts that had been with Cozmo in Meteor Falls.

"Don't let it recover, Mightyena!" I commanded, a new edge in my voice. "Finish it!"

My Pokemon, with equal ferocity, picked up the last Carvahna in its jaws and threw it at the huge grunt – the one that had dealt that last blow to Cozmo, and had led the other grunts towards me before Maxie had intervened – and he went rolling right towards the edge of the volcano.

I gasped, snapping out of my trance. _Shit!_ The other defeated grunts, who had been watching spitefully, cried out in shock and ran towards the larger man, whose momentum had been stopped by a small rock on the volcano's rim. He let out a sigh, eyes wide, and looked fearfully over his shoulder, into the abyss, before back at me. His eyes were wide and full of rage.

"Matt, sir! Are you okay?!" one of the grunts questioned, helping the burly man to his feet.

_Sir… so he must be an officer or something?_ I swallowed. _Then, did I stop Team Aqua for good?_

Chest heaving, the huge man huffed and wiped the sweat from his brow before glancing at me. His lips curled upwards into a wolfish grin. "Heh. Well. We should be glad we got outta Meteor Falls while we could. But it's too late, hotshot!" One meaty hand pointed further up the path, to the rim of the volcano. "Boss's already got the Meteorite, and we're going to permanently shut down this crater!" He pumped his fist into the soupy, gray air. "For the glory of Team Aqua!"

I narrowed my eyes, looking through the storm of heat and soot towards the very edge of the volcano. Further behind the group of defeated grunts, on a ledge protruding into and over the crater, stood a single figure next to a large machine that I could only guess was the Meteorite device. _Archie… That's him, _I realized.

Mightyena stayed at my heels as I hurried forwards. It glared down the Aqua grunts as we passed them, even though they were passive, at this point. They only smirked at us. Like they were _letting_ us pass by – like they _wanted_ me to get to their leader. I gulped. My gaze didn't move from Archie's figure. He was pressing buttons on the device, casually, as if he weren't in a hurry; as if all of his followers weren't out there battling their hearts out. The heat grew ever more intense, and as I stepped onto the peninsula I nearly choked on the consistency of the air. Sweat clung to my neck, and I began breathing harder still, which only caused me to inhale more soot and wheeze.

"…With the power of this meteorite, yes… Team Aqua will have a great victory. Mt. Chimney… I will be able to completely shut down Mt. Chimney. With time, the ecosystem will recover, and the volcano will fill with rainwater, creating the largest fresh-water body in the Hoenn region… Water-type Pokemon of all kinds will have a new home… Life will be brought to this desolate place."

Archie still had his back turned to me, facing the machine and the center of the volcano. I wasn't sure if he was speaking to me, or to himself. I blinked again, vision limited in the conditions, and took another step towards him. The Team Aqua boss heard me, this time, and straightened, though did not turn around.

"More meddling, Maxie, Team Magma? Either way, you're too late." He glanced over his shoulder, and his eyes widened briefly when they met mine.

I scowled in response to his look and clenched my fists.

"Oh! It's you again. Of course…" Archie turned around completely, taking a step closer and casually resting his hands in the pockets of his ash-stained shirt. "Listen to me, kid. You can't just buy into what Maxie might've told you about my intentions. As I said in Slateport, the sea is of utmost importance to everyone, and everything. It is beauty. And it is home to so many Pokemon, and makes up most of our world. Team Aqua is willing to go to any lengths to expand it. Do you understand?"

I clenched my fists even harder. If I wasn't wearing gloves, I might've cut my own palms open. A sharp, defensive voice rose up inside me: "The sea is important. I know that. But this isn't the way to achieve your goal! What you did at Slateport and Meteor Falls – and, from what I've heard, what you've done at other places – that isn't what non-violent activist organizations are supposed to do!" _I want to believe they're just a bunch of hippies… I want to believe._ Images of Cozmo's beaten body flittered through my mind. "Nearly beating an innocent guy to death? That's not something an activist group would do…! And that was you, not Team Magma! Explain that!"

Archie's mouth grew into a wide grin. "Ahahaha! So, then, I assume Maxie _has_ actually been whispering in your ear, kid? Well, if you truly believe Team Magma is clean, you're no more naïve than any other fool opposing our cause!"

I was thrown off at this and took a step backwards. However, with one glance at the encased Meteorite, my energy was renewed. "This isn't about Team Magma, or however bad a trainer I am. This is about that Meteorite! It belongs to Professor Cozmo, s-so…" Mightyena stepped up in front of me. "…Give it back!"

Archie pulled out a Pokeball from his belt. The collar of his shirt shifted with his movements, revealing an ugly and fresh scratch running down his chest. _Is that from the brawl yesterday…? I don't remember seeing _him_ there…_ "The Meteorite has the power to shut down the volcano… did Maxie already tell you that, trainer? The crater will fill with water and create a new ecosystem for Water-type Pokemon. Without the ash, acid rain and natural pollution in Route 113, Fallarbor Town, and all around will stop, and even your precious _land_ would flourish."

I was nearly speechless. "I… You… …Doing so will ruin all of the ecosystems there already that rely on the volcano! Don't you understand!?" _Route 113, Fallarbor, the desert… even… even Verdanturf… _I felt myself grow even tenser. _Wally, getting even sicker than he already is… for what? A lake?_

"All you need to understand," Archie replied in a level tone, "is that Team Aqua plans to expand the sea and bring this world back to nature for the sake of Pokemon – for the sake of _everyone_." He looked impatient – bored, even – with me.

"I don't care. You can't do this to the volcano!" Mightyena's tail was lashing back and forth, and its subtle growl had grown into a snarl.

I noticed him click the button on the Pokeball he held, and it grew to its normal size, ready for action. "Ignorant maggots like you will never inflict any true damage on Team Aqua! I, Archie, will show you the true consequences of meddling! _Mightyena_!"

The man dropped the Pokeball, and from it emerged an enormous Mightyena just like the one I'd seen fighting alongside Maxie earlier. It snarled and eyed me like fresh food. Compared to my Mightyena… this one was on an entirely different level of ferocious. I could tell from just one look at it.

"Go! Get rid of them!"

* * *

**A few hours ago…**

_Ring, ring!_

"…Yes, hello? This is Steven Stone."

"_Steven! This is Wallace. I had a question about that thing you mentioned earlier._"

The receiver of the call blinked, glanced around warily, and then leaned against a nearby tree, lowering his voice. "If you're not on a protected line, don't explain too much."

There was a sigh from the other end. "Fine. But I don't think they're that big on hacking and tapping into calls. Either way… How do I put it… _She _saw some of _them _around and about today, and told me to inform you."

Steven narrowed his eyes. "Wait… what? Are we… talking about the same thing? If you called me just to moon over Winona again, I swear, Wallace, I'll start forwarding your messages to her."

"_A-ah! No, no, Steven, that won't be necessary. I think we _are_ already talking about the same thing; the notice you gave out to all Gym Leaders a week or two ago to be extra cautious of Team-"_

"Okay, then, we are," he said into the phone, cutting his friend off. "What about them? …Are they… at Sootopolis?"

"_They aren't," _came the voice of Wallace, and after a moment of hesitation, he continued. "_But _she _– let's just call her Altaria – notified me that they had spotted activity all around the surrounding routes._"

"…I see," Steven replied. "I'll check it out, then. But it may be a while. I'm in a city near the east coast, right now, trying to keep a low profile. You… did hear about what happened a few weeks ago, didn't you?"

"_There's rumors about _it _all over the news, so naturally, yes, I did. I suppose it was connected to Rustboro, then?"_

"Yes. I'm in this area to be sure that nothing else happens. They've been making the news more and more often, recently…"

There was a cool laugh from the other end. "_Well, take it easy, Steven. By the most recent news reports, I'd guess _they _aren't anywhere near there, anymore. In fact, I just saw one earlier today back at the hotel about some scientist in Fallarbor coming into contact with _them_, but I didn't watch much of it. I'll look into it when I head up there for the next Contest."_

The receiver straightened and took a few steps forward. "What do you mean? There's been more sightings since Slateport?"

"_Yeah. Oh! That reminds me. While we're on the topic of Devon, I might as well mention this to you…"_

Steven was already making his way to Petalburg City, nearby, hoping to catch the late-night news. "Yeah, what?" He responded absently.

"_Well, I think someone may be bootlegging Mr. Stone's newest Pokenavs! Hahaha! I only say this because I saw some rookie trainer lady waving one around in Slateport just the other day."_

"Bootlegging…?" muttered Steven. "I don't know about that, Wallace. The only people given the _newest_ models were the Gym Leaders, and…"

"Hmm, then maybe she was the new Gym Leader," Wallace mused, though he sounded skeptical. _"Come to think of it, I haven't met that Norman person yet. But I thought he was a man… Well, with that intense look and shabby outfit she had on, she probably could pass for a-"_

"Wallace," Steven said, a little clearer, "what did she look like?"

"_Well, I just told you, Steven. Dirty clothes, hair looking like a Slakoth climbed onto her head and fell asleep, and these fierce blue eyes that sort of made up for it. Unapproachable, has a wild temper. You should've been there… anyways, why? You think she might have stolen it?"_

Steven frowned. If the Slateport Super Contest competition had been held right around a week ago, and the Slateport-Devon attack had been not too long before that, then… _It really _was _that girl that helped Mr. Stern out, then…? The descriptions that Wallace and Stern gave me sound similar…_

"_Well, thief or not, I felt bad for the poor thing. I saw her in the lobby when I was leaving for the restroom, sitting all alone and looking distraught. No wonder, since she got kicked out thanks to those rowdy idiots sitting behind us…" _He lowered his tone. "In any case, she definitely had the same version of Pokenav as me!"

The trainer shook his head so as to clear his thoughts. "I'm sorry, Wallace, but I have to go. Goodbye."

"_Oh! That reminds me, I'm late for my appointment! Oh, darn-"_

_Beep!_

Steven hurried over to the Pokemon Center, recalling his Pokemon and brushing the leaves and dirt collected while staking out in the woods from his clothes. _Maybe it's better if I keep it there, _he thought as he dodged a large group of teens hanging out by the water, _just so less people will…_

"Welcome! How may we help you?" greeted the nurse as he entered.

Steven considered taking a seat in the lobby to turn on the news, but decided against it. There were a number of people hanging around; three more teenagers, an older woman and her Wynaut, and a middle-aged man with his back turned, a Vigoroth standing beside him. The last thing he needed was attention – especially when there was so much news that he had to figure out. The trainer turned to the nurse. "Oh… Sorry. I just need a room."

She nodded, giving Steven a wary look and wondering why he seemed so dazed. "Down the hall to your right, and the last one, on your left, should be open. Please enjoy your stay!"

The younger trainer pulled a handful of Pokedollars from his pocket and nonchalantly set them on the desk. "Thank you for your service to the trainers around here."

She gasped and, still a little shocked, took the money. "Are you sure you don't need this, sir?!"

He didn't reply as he walked off down the hall, playing around with his Pokenav. The nurse was a little offended, but accepted the money nonetheless, putting it into the tip jar to share with the rest of the employees.

Steven shut and locked the door behind him, peeking out of the small lens to check one last time to see if anyone suspicious had followed him, and, seeing no such person, sat down on the edge of one of the bunks. With a click of the remote, the television flicked on. The commercials were just ending.

"…_So, last time, we established that there was rumored major movement of the ever-growing Team Aqua around Fallarbor Town."_

"_That's right. The townspeople have called into our news station just in the last few hours, asking for some large sums of money for their information!"_

"_It looks like it was worth it, too, because apparently, not only was Team Aqua there, but they had a run-in with a Fallarbor resident! We don't have the details quite yet, but our live interview we're about to show will surely give us breaking news on the occurrence! Over to you, Gabby!"_

"_Hiya! I'm here on Route 114 with Professor Cozmo, a meteorologist-"_

"_Meteoriticist."_

"_\- Meteoriticist, who had _quite _the encounter with Team Aqua, recently! Give us the details, Cozmo!"_

"_W-well, let me start at the beginning… A man calling himself Matt visited me a few days ago, going on about how Team Aqua, who I… I had previously perceived to be an admirable group, of good ideals… how they were going to be working on a major excavation project in Meteor Falls, over the hill from here – so I obliged, since they said their main p-point of interest was…"_

"_Was what, Mr. Cozmo?"_

"_It was a meteorite, one untouched by humans, and unreachable, and surrounded by rumors. But I… I knew the facts. It _does _have great power, and n-now, Team Aqua…!"_

Steven leaned forward, clutching the bedspread. _No…_

" …_Anyway, I agreed, and followed them down there. They had a small group, then, and I felt safe, and confident, but…"_

"_But?"_

"_While retrieving the meteorite, there was an attack, by… some group of men in _red_ outfits. They poured into the cave… I don't know why, I don't even know what happened. Maybe they wanted the meteorite, too… All I know was that I was urged to go on with the operation, so I did, and then, all of the sudden, I was…"_ The man looked at the ground and closed his mouth. Obviously, he was still recovering from whatever had happened.

"_What are those bandages, Cozmo?"_ The reporter pressed on.

"_I'm sorry if it's taboo of some sort to unbutton your shirt on television, especially someone like me, ohoho- oof…"_ His face twisted as he slid off the upper part of his disheveled lab coat to reveal numerous injuries. Bruises – there were so many bruises, swelling black and blue. Steven cringed at the image. _That's… horrible._

"_What happened?"_

"_I-I might've been lethargic, or hallucinating, or something – it's all a blur, from here on out, but after I retrieved the meteorite, I was hit on the head, and then dragged into a small, hidden area, away from the fighting, and they started demanding the Meteorite from me, and I refused, and they just kept kicking…"_

"_Oh, my goodness! You're saying Team Aqua did this to you?"_

"…_That's right…"_

"_Many people could call you out as a liar for this, you know, Professor Cozmo. Evidence against Aqua lately has been weak and rumor-driven! Are you sure it wasn't that other group that was doing this to you?"_

"_No. I'm completely sure. I won't forget that symbol of theirs. And I'm not the only witness, either, of course. The one who saved me probably knows how cruel they are even more than I do!"_

"_Oh! Someone saved you? Who was it? What happened?"_

"_I… I can't remember well. I was… fading in and out… but I can tell you she chased off those grunts, and though everything is still fuzzy to me, she surely helped me out of that cave! What a lifesaver!"_

"_Aah! How exciting! And you don't know who it is? Can you remember any of what they – or, you said, _she!_ – said?"_

"…_No… I apologize. I just can't remember that much… Well, she _did _promise me she would retrieve my Meteorite! That is what kept me going, until I was dropped off here, at Lanette's house. I was unconscious for a while, and meanwhile Lanette was calling my wife in Fallarbor, and I suppose word circulated around the town until it reached your news station…"_

"_Well, that was _quite _the story! It looks like we have another mystery trainer girl hitting the headlines again! This really complicates the debates going on about Team Aqua, as well… I'm worried about what will come next. Thank you, Professor Cozmo – you go get some rest, now! Back to you, HQ!"_

"_Whoa, how incredible! Team Aqua is certainly looking _fishier _now, if you know what I mean."_

"_Don't."_

"_And this mystery girl! Is she the same one from Slateport, with Captain Stern? Stay tuned in the coming days to find out more, Hoenn!"_

The TV screen went black.

Steven slouched down off the edge of the bed and rested his arms on his knees. _There's no doubt about it, now, then. That trainer – May, was it?… She must've been there with Stern, too, then. _He frowned. _Stopping groups like Team Aqua shouldn't just fall on the shoulders of a new trainer, even if she does have potential… But no one else has the information, or the sense, even, to do something about Aqua, _or _Magma… And the Gym Leaders have to stay stationed near their own cities… Team Aqua's reputation as an environmental activist group still keeps the police from doing anything, of course… That Meteorite could only mean trouble, though I'll leave that task to May. _He smiled, gingerly, and stood up. _I'm sure she can handle it. In the meantime… Fortree City is looking suspicious._

The trainer meant to leave, but one more glance at the pillowy bed urged him to postpone his travelling until the morning. A bed, after all, was much more inviting after you'd spent oh-so many nights on a cave floor, or against a comfy-looking boulder, or in a muddy crevice between two tree roots. And with the way things were escalating, he probably wouldn't get the chance for such a luxury again anytime soon.

* * *

**Present time**

"Mightyena! Don't be intimidated by it! Use Bite!" I exclaimed, waving my hand at my Pokemon.

Mightyena sprinted forward with purpose towards its opponent. Archie's Mightyena, in turn, did the same, lumbering towards our side of the peninsula. Its huge lower jaw was hanging open, flopping as it ran, showing off the ivory daggers inside and flinging drool all over the place.

"Ignore the Bite, and use Tackle!"

_Ignore? _I thought, staring incredulously at Archie. _He can't just…_

Mightyena, once in range, took a tremendous leap off of its hind legs towards the opposing Pokemon. Archie's, surprisingly, did the same. I grit my teeth and watched, helpless. Before my Mightyena's maw could get anywhere near the enemy Mightyena's body, it was rammed into at full force and sent flying backwards across the smooth stone.

I cursed to myself, watching Archie's Mightyena land swiftly on its feet and let out a loud howl.

_Wait… Mightyena!_

I twirled around, eyes widening. My Pokemon was skidding towards the edge of the rock, too worn out to fight or try to slow itself down. I took off. "Mightyena!"

The heat grew intense as I dove forward, managing to wrap one arm around the Pokemon's midsection just as it reached the ledge. After a moment, I slowly reopened my eyes. They stung. Every breath I took stung. My knees stung. A little ways below me was a bright, orange-red substance, jiggling and bubbling menacingly. Magma. Sweat dripped from my forehead down to my neck and my breath hitched. I lay there for a few seconds, seconds that felt like hours, gazing into the pit beneath me, completely immobilized, right arm holding the fainted Mightyena tightly to my side. Had I slid any further, it would have been more than just my head peeking over the edge of the rocky outcropping.

Once recovered, I stood up and returned Mightyena to its ball, frowning in pity at the look of agony it had on its face. The strength of that blow had been unbelievable. My eyes shifted back over to Archie, who was watching with an amused look. His Mightyena paced back and forth in front of him, yellow eyes trained on me. Clearly, he had no intentions of just finishing me off right then and there.

"Now, do you understand the benefits of shutting down this volcano?" the man taunted. I ignored him and drew out another Pokeball.

"Aron, take over for Mightyena!"

Aron emerged from its Pokeball and I prepared myself for battle once again, mentally scolding myself for almost letting the poor Dark-type fall into the volcano. _That will _not _happen again… I have a plan, now… I have to get rid of _that_ obstacle before I can do anything else._

Archie sported his usual wolfish grin and threw out one pointing finger at his Pokemon. "Give it another Tackle!"

The Mightyena charged. Aron naturally looked scared out of its wits and began bouncing back towards me.

"Don't run, Aron!" I told it in exasperation. "Use Rock Tomb to surround us! Make a wall!" I prayed that my plan would work.

The little Pokemon reluctantly complied to my command and a bunch of huge boulders. I observed the attack, quietly, just as Archie was, biting my lip. _Fifty-fifty chance…_ It would either work, or the entire peninsula would break and go crashing into the volcano – _not risky at all._

The dust stirred up by Aron's great attack lifted quickly, revealing a circular Rock Tomb wall, enclosing Archie and I in an arean and preventing any more incidents like the one with my Mightyena. Furthermore, the nerve-wracking view of the lava crater below was no longer visible. _Out of sight, out of mind…_

Archie's gaze wandered around the faux-arena. One eyebrow inched its way upward. "Interesting. But you still completely missed my Pokemon! Tackle, Mightyena!"

My eyes darted back to the battlefield. The Dark-type ran into the side of Aron once again, sending it rolling into one of the boulders, which, of course, stood strong. I sighed a breath of relief. _Now, for my _actual _plan… Time to come up with one._

My mind worked tirelessly, trying to formulate how I would gain an advantage over Archie's fast-and-ferocious Mightyena, while Aron was pummeled by the Tackle attacks. Its type advantage and Iron Defense could only do so much, for so long, and Archie's Pokemon didn't seem to be tiring at all after three entire assaults.

"_Aron!"_ the Pokemon called out as Mightyena turned around for the fourth time. "_A-ron!_"

"I know, I know…!" I murmured. "…Roar!"

On the other side of the field, Archie raised his eyebrows and chuckled a little.

Aron steeled itself, turned around towards Mightyena, and let out a piercing cry, completely unexpected of a Pokemon of its size and appearance. There was a flash of light that reflected off of Aron's shiny coat, and then Mightyena was gone, recalled back into its ball. Archie gaped, but only for a moment, and tossed out a different ball. "If you want to change things up, kid, then try this!"

Out of the ball came a Pokemon I'd never seen before. It appeared to be a large bat – and large, meaning, probably as tall as me – with two huge leathery purple wings spread out on either side of it. The mouth on the Pokemon was enormous, as well. I wondered what it ate, and where it lived – running into one of these in the wild would be something straight out of a horror story.

"_Golbat," _my Pokedex chimed in its usual monotonous, calm voice, "the Bat Pokemon, and the evolved form of Zubat. Gobat bites down on prey with its four fangs and drinks the victim's blood. It becomes active on inky dark moonless nights, flying around to attack Pokemon and people."

I shrunk back a bit, giving the Pokemon another look. _Pokemon and people…?_

"Golbat," Archie called, "Astonish!"

Before I could even call out a counterattack, the Golbat appeared in front of Aron, flapping its wings and letting out a shriek. Aron, who had already been twitching in nervousness, yelped and fell backwards, twiddling its legs helplessly. Sadly, the Pokemon was top heavy.

"Now, Bite!" Archie exclaimed with another commanding sweep of his hand.

"G-get up, Aron!"

Aron didn't obey and remained on its back, struggling. Gobat, in the meantime, opened up its cave of a mouth and clamped it down on Aron.

However, my Pokemon didn't seem damaged at all. I sighed in relief and allowed a small smile to work its way onto my face. _A weak attack like that won't hurt a Steel-type like Aron. I should know better._

"Now, carry it into the air and drop it!"

Bewildered, I watched as Aron – still helpless – was carried far above the arena. Despite its weight, Golbat had no trouble carrying it. _P-probably because of those strong wings…! Aron!_

I looked back down, around me, to the sides, at the makeshift wall Aron had made earlier in the battle and got yet another idea.

"Drop it, Golbat! And give it a Wing Attack as it falls!" yelled Archie.

I responded with an equally power voice: "Use Rock Tomb in midair, Aron! You hear me? Focus it on Golbat!"

It was a win-or-lose situation. If Aron's attack missed and it slammed into the ground, at that height, it would surely be knocked out, even if I did have it use Iron Defense. However, if Rock Tomb did hit, Golbat, too, would fall to the ground, and it was stationary at the moment because it was readying its Wing Attack.

With one last cry, Aron summoned up three more boulders. Golbat, at the same time, launched its Wing Attack and dove downwards. The first rock cut across the sky, intersecting the Pokemon before it could make contact with its target and damaging a wing. The second struck as Golbat was faltering and going off course, hitting it instead right in the square of its back. Archie roared in anger, far below. The third rock flew upwards, instead of downwards, and Golbat, already fading in and out of consciousness, slammed into it before unceremoniously being dragged off by gravity.

And as the third rock hit its mark, Aron made landing, creating a large – and problematic, should it get any deeper – crater in the peninsula. Knowing it wouldn't be getting back up, I withdrew it to its Pokeball. There was somewhat of a smug look on my face as Archie's Golbat hit the ground not to soon after. _…Looks like your plan backfired._

The man looked furious as he shoved the ball back into a pocket and drew out another one. Out of fear that he would pick that Mightyena again, I brought out Combusken, who, unlike my Mightyena, I hadn't fought any of the Aqua grunts leading up to the summit.

_Not only that, _I told myself as I released the Pokemon, _but Combusken has a type advantage over Mightyena, and this environment is good for a Fire-type like it._

"_Combusken!"_ squawked the Pokemon loudly as it landed on its feet in front of me, releasing tiny embers from its beak. It was completely envigorated.

In response to this, Archie's returning Mightyena let out an infuriated snarl. It was clearly upset that it had been interrupted in the middle of its battle, and yearned to take its anger out on its new target.

Combusken began with a Peck attack, which was powerful, but controlled. Archie countered it with a Tackle, though this time, it was an even match. Both Pokemon faced off, glaring each other in the eyes. I waited for Archie to launch his next Tackle, planning on having Combusken dodge this one and use Ember.

"Howl! Then Bite!"

Mightyena let out a loud, low howl, and became uncharacteristically still. I stood there for a moment in bewilderment before calling out for Combusken to hit it with Double Kick while it was distracted. My Pokemon obeyed, but its attack was promptly interrupted by the Bite attack I thought Mightyena had forgotten about. The Dark-type clamped its jaws around Combusken's leg in midair and tightened them to the point where Combusken began crying out in pain.

"B-break free of its grip! Combusken!" I ordered, despracy returning. Archie, on the other hand, smiled as though he once again had the upper hand.

"Don't hold back, Mightyena! Throw it into that trainer's 'wall' and use Tackle! _Break its bones_!"

I panicked as Combusken was tossed into a nearby boulder. It slumped to the ground, fire clearly extinguished. _Double Kick, Bite, Ember, Peck… Double Kick, Bite, Ember, Peck… Double… oh…!_

"Roll out of the way, Combusken!" I shouted.

Combusken commanded, and Mightyena ran face-first into Aron's rock. It jumped backwards, yelping in surprise and shaking its head back and forth.

"While it's down, use Double Kick!"

Combusken's energy seemed to return and it darted towards Mightyena.

However, I underestimated the Dark-type Pokemon – and I underestimated Archie.

"Quit screwing around, Mightyena! Catch that attack with Bite again!"

With another roar, and an entirely new look of rage on the canine Pokemon's face, Combusken was trapped once again. The same foot was clamped in Mightyena's jaws. _No!_

The Pokemon restarted its tossing-technique, but before it could release Combusken, I exclaimed, "Hit it with an Ember! Right in the face, at point blank!"

Mightyena began yelping again as Combusken released piping-hot flakes of fire into its eyes. The scraggly white hairs on its face were singed as black as the rest of its fur. Despite this, though, Combusken's foot was still caught in the Dark-type's mouth. _Maybe… I don't need two feet for a Double Kick,_ I told myself.

"Mightyen-"

"Combusken! Use Double Kick, now, with your free foot!"

Archie looked furious that I had interrupted him, but frankly, I hadn't even realized that he'd plan on giving an order. The Fire-Fighting Pokemon seemed to understand what I was getting at and raised its free foot up into Mightyena's crooked lower jaw, and with a sickening crack, it jerked to the side. There was more squealing from the intimidating Dark-type, and then Combusken's left leg was released. It tumbled backwards awkwardly, feathery claws wrapping around the injured limb.

"Mightyena!" Archie called. His glare focused on me. "You!"

I didn't meet his eyes, because, honestly, they were unnerving and would make me lose my confidence. I instead nodded at Combusken, who charged – or, rather, limped quite awkwardly – in at Mightyena and landed two more kicks on it. And two was all it needed; the Dark-type slumped to the ground, looking battered.

Without any extra words to the Mightyena, Archie recalled it. Combusken hopped back over to me, and I nodded at it instead of giving it the usual high-five.

Archie pulled two items from his side this time; another Pokeball, as well as something resembling a filtration mask or gas mask. He carelessly tossed the ball forward and fastened the strap around the back of his head. I was baffled; why did he need _that_…?

"Sharpedo, finish this!" The man's voice was muffled by the item, but still had that dangerous edge to it. I tensed.

Out of Archie's third Pokeball came a Pokemon that just screamed "Team Aqua"; it was a marine Pokemon, bigger, even, than me, with shiny blue skin and a pale grey belly. Four fins jutted out of each of its sides, with plenty of knicks and notches, giving the Pokemon a battered – yet tough – look. My eyes moved past the glimmering star-pattern on its forehead to one of its eyes; they glowed red and rolled back and forth.

My face crinkled up in disgust and confusion as I pulled out my Pokedex.

"_Sharpedo, the Brutal Pokemon, and the evolved form of Carvahna. Shadpedo can swim at speeds of up to 75mph by jetting seawater out of its backside. This Pokemon's drawback is its inability to swim long distances."_

I flipped the Pokedex closed, giving the Sharpedo another wary look and swallowing. Combusken switched to a different stance, holding its claws out protectively, though I could tell it was nervous; its little tail was twitching back and forth.

_Sharpedo _must _be a Water-type, _I thought to myself. _Which means Combusken is weak to it… But it's also Dark-type, and Combusken is part Fighting-type, so if I can just land a Double Kick, I might be okay. _I looked back up at Archie and his Pokemon. He was still adjusting the mask on his face, and the Pokemon was somehow balancing itself on its bottom fin. _Sharpedo is only fast in water, right…? So that means, here, on land, on a _volcano_… it should be at a disadvantage…!_

I smiled and imitated my Combusken's fighting pose. "Go, Combusken! Run in and give it a Double Kick!" _But stay on guard…_

Combusken darted forward, but was noticeably much slower due to its leg injury. There was a pang in my chest, and I promised myself that when I got out of this – if I got out of this – I'd let it take a long rest at the Pokemon Center. It did its signature leap, readying the first foot, and…

"Surf!"

_Surf?!_

The unnerving red eyes of Sharpedo turned a bright blue color, and a small, pearl-like orb appeared on its dorsal fin. Then, in a heartbeat's time, an immesurable amount of water materialized around the Pokemon in thin air and was pushed forwards. Combusken was slammed by the wave's force and disappeared underneath the water.

I screamed and stumbled backwards as the monstrous attack closed in on me, eventually feeling the hardness of Aron's Rock Tomb wall behind me, causing even more panic to jolt up my spine. I reached for my Pokenav in an absurd and desparate attempt to call for help, and a second later the water rushed over my body completely.

Everything went silent; the hissing of the lava below, the distant yells and snarls of Team Aqua and Team Magma grunts… They were all replaced by the muffled sound of bubbles and splashes somewhere above. I lost all sense of direction and began struggling, feeling my chest tighten. My mind was in a complete whirlpool. _Combusken, the volcano, Archie, Sharpedo, the mask, the water, water, water, water, _water..!

I bumped against something else hard and one of my gloved hands flew down to grab it, only to find it to be slimy and elusive. I gasped, and in that took in even more water. _…Sharpedo! _My eyes flew open. The water was dark, but I could see the silhouette of the Pokemon speeding off to the left towards another one. _And Combusken! I-I need to focus!_ I steeled myself and swum in a direction that appeared to be upwards; the churning of the wave had ceased and the water had more of the stillness of a pool, now, making it easier to navigate.

Finally, with one last wave of my arms, my head broke through the surface of the water. I coughed violently while treading water. I groped about with my left hand until I found a divot in one of the boulders that I could hold myself on until I recovered.

There was a quiet splash nearby, and I blinked open my stinging eyes just in time to see a fin disappear beneath the water. Sharpedo, again. But what happened? I looked around at the boulders, which were now all but submerged, except for a small, foot-long area at the top, and cursed in realization.

_Aron's rocks… They're tight-sealed enough for Sharpedo's Surf to be contained… It's almost like a _bowl_… Then, that means…_ I thought back to Archie. _That mask… it must've had some kind of air tank, as well as a filtration device…_ Dread and despair filled my stomach. _I'm the one who caused this…! Combusken!_

There were two more stirs in the water on either side of the arena. I watched impatiently. After a few moments, Combusken resurfaced off to my right, along with a multitude of bubbles. It wasn't moving.

"Combusken!" I shouted, voice cracking at the last part. I began coughing again.

Across the way, I heard two more splashes, and looked over as my coughing continued. Archie, along with a dorsal fin belonging to his Pokemon, had resurfaced. The man placed both hands behind his masked head and closed his eyes.

"This is just an example of what the volcanic crater will be like! Water definitely is the way to go!"

His feet floated upwards, crossed in a relaxed position. I grimaced.

I ignored his comment and swam over to Combusken, taking it in my arms. "…Are you okay…?"

It squawked weakly. I could only imagine how much worse the attack would have been for a Fire-type that didn't know how to swim – and a Fire-type being targeted by a Pokemon like Sharpedo.

"G-good work… I'm sorry, Combusken," I said quietly as I recalled it back into its ball.

Sharpedo began swimming in circles and figure-eights anxiously. I felt horrible; I'd gotten myself into this mess, and hadn't a clue as to how I could get out. Wingull would be useless, as I'd seen enough nature television shows to know what happens when a mere seagull and a shark faced off. That left me with one option; another Water-type, though I doubted its swimming abilities…

One hand still clinging to the rock, I clicked open Lombre's Pokeball. The Pokemon materialized in front of me and cried casually. It had no problem staying afloat, what with its lilypad-like hat and slimy, aquatic body. Across the field, Sharpedo took off almost immediately.

"Use Rage!" Archie called.

In response, I told Lombre to dodge. It barely avoided a hit from the Dark-type, however, who was moving at rapid speeds. It slammed into the rock behind us and turned back around, aiming its attack yet again. This time, I, too, had to shift out of the Pokemon's way; it didn't seem to care that I could've got caught in its path as it sped towards my Lombre. I got a glimpse of the menacing rows of teeth inside Sharpedo's mouth and swallowed.

"_Bre!_" Lombre cried as it was rammed into by Sharpedo and pushed underwater. I tensed. _Rage is a continuous attack, so Archie doesn't need to tell it anything else, but Lombre hasn't…_

After a few seconds, Lombre resurfaced, looking panicked as ever. Sharpedo's dorsal fin cut through the water at the other side of the pool, heading towards it another time. _Damn it! _I thought. _How is Lombre supposed to aim an attack like Fury Swipes or Absorb at something that fast?!_

Just when Sharpedo was closing in, I had a new idea. "Fake Out, Lombre!"

The Pokemon chirped in acknowledgement and readied itself. The tiny red claws on its slimy arms began glowing, and it waited.

Sharpedo flew out of the water, mouth open, and dove towards Lombre. However, Fake Out, I knew, was a move with insane accuracy. In a flash, Lombre's hands made impact with the airborne shark's face. It fell into the water, fidgeting, and Lombre took the chance to back against the wall.

I smiled. "Good! Now use Absorb!"

Archie's yell came from the other side. "Attack! Sharpedo!"

But it couldn't recover on time, and Lombre began drawing in energy. _Good, _I thought. _Great!_

However, as soon as Absorb ended, Sharpedo was at it again, this time with a much more powerful move; Crunch. It flew at my small Pokemon, maw widened. I had no chance to react, and Lombre was soon caught in its jaws.

"Lombre!" I yelled desperately. My grip on the wall tightened. _Wait… _I turned to the wall. The boulder still stood strong and sturdy, jutting into the ground. _If Aron was still healthy, I could use Dig to drain the water… but… I _did_ teach Lombre Rock Smash… Maybe…_

My eyes flicked up to the battle. Sharpedo was still attempting to shred Lombre into pieces, and Archie's eyes had no sense of remorse in them; only pride. Dozens of thoughts filled my mind, and I spat one out impulsively at Lombre. "Quickly, Lombre, focus and use Absorb again!"

The Pokemon gave me an incredulous look, but obeyed, and with much effort, began drawing Sharpedo's energy.

"What's that supposed to do?" I heard Archie murmur. "My Sharpedo is still on the winning side."

"Now, use Fury Swipes!" I ordered. Lombre raked its claws across the Pokemon's face, and, finally, Sharpedo backed off.

_I don't have much time, _I thought as Archie called out for his Sharpedo to use Rage again. I put my plan into action. "Lombre, ready up a Rock Smash, and use it on the boulder behind you!"

Archie, Lombre, and, probably, Sharpedo, gave me a look of disbelief, but I ignored it. "Use Sharpedo's momentum to push you into the wall and break it!"

I wasn't sure if my Pokemon understood, but it was too late now. Archie seemed to realize this and his expression twisted. I stifled a smirk as his little moustache drooped downwards. Sharpedo kept moving, faster and faster, angrier and angrier, and Lombre was prepared. Just as the Dark-type was about to deal what could have been a finishing blow, the Grass-type attached its feet to the Pokemon's head, barely avoiding its snapping jaws, and held out its shining white fists towards the wall.

I braced myself.

_CRACK!_

I lit up. _It worked! It worked! _Chunks of the rock face began giving way, and in turn, the water started to pour out. It was slow, at first, like draining a bathtub, and I took the time to relish in Archie's astonishment, but then the draining became faster and the hole in the rock grew until the entire section of wall crumbled into small chunks. Now, the water was gushing out, and I felt myself being pulled towards the hole.

The hole that led right off the edge of the volcano and into the magma below.

I panicked, somehow finding a spot on the ground – the water was now low enough to wade in, but barely – where my shoes had traction and searched for Lombre. Archie had already grabbed hold of his Sharpedo to keep it from being drained out of the frying pan and into the fire – literally – with his massive arms wrapped around its rough, wriggling figure. I eventually found Lombre, who was still dazed, being drained out, and grabbed ahold of its arm before it could get carried any further. _Too close – again… _I mentally scolded myself. _That's three times I've gotten them into danger…_

I shivered instinctively upon touching it. _The Pokedex was right. This guy really _is _gross and slimy… and I'm wearing gloves._

"_Lombre!"_ it called, getting to its feet as though it'd read my mind and planting both arms in the ground as what was left of Sharpedo's Surf disappeared. The rock inside of the arena was now a deep reddish-brown, and when compared to the rest of the soot-coated summit, it looked as though it had been pressure washed.

The shark Pokemon seemed to have recovered as I gazed over in Archie's direction, but was now at a disadvantage like it had at the start of the battle. I smiled at Lombre. "We already won," I whispered. "Go out there and finish it!"

Lombre sauntered forwards and I took my place back at the other side of the arena, happy to be rid of the water. Archie, on the other hand, had almost the same expression as his beached Sharpedo.

"Finish it off, Lombre…! Use Rock Smash, on Sharpedo this time!"

"'_Bre_!"

Lombre closed in on Sharpedo. Archie ordered a Crunch, in an unenthusiastic attempt at a counterattack, but Lombre was easily able to evade it, despite being out of its terrain, too. The Fighting-type move landed directly on the Pokemon's belly, sending it rolling into the wall behind Archie with a crash.

Before anything else crazy could happen, I slipped out of the hole in the stadium and approached the machine holding the Meteorite and pressed a button reading "SHUT DOWN". _Simple enough, _I thought. The moaning noises it had been making came to an abrupt stop, and the anxiety stirring inside me settled some.

Archie grimly recalled his Sharpedo as Lombre worked on demolishing the rest of the boulders. I met his eyes; they were as casual as before the battle, but sharper, now, like he was giving me a serious warning. "Well!" he announced, hands on his hips. "It appears Team Aqua will have to back off from our plans at Mt. Chimney, then. No matter. Team Magma was becoming a nuisance, anyway… But it's a shame you still refuse to understand our cause, trainer. And it's a shame you got yourself involved." He turned his back to me and took his hands out of his pockets. His fists were clenched, and even from a good distance away, I could tell they were tightened to the point where they were shaking. Then, with a very slight tilt of his head, Archie threw me that same deadly glare. "I will make you regret it."

I stood up, puffing my chest out, and didn't back down.

"I sincerely hope you aren't believing a word of what Maxie says," Archie spat. I narrowed my eyes, and he turned back around. "That's right – I've got word of your introduction to him already. Team Magma is misguided, and we will put them – along with anyone else that gets in Team Aqua's way – out of commission."

With that, Archie stormed off and disappeared into the gray cloud of ash.

I stood there for a while, mind blank. Lombre danced about at my feet. The weight of my actions was suddenly hitting me full-force. I'd _beaten _the leader of Team Aqua and foiled his plans. What did this mean for their future? What did it mean for me? Hopefully, I thought, they would disappear off of the radar, no more robberies of Devon Corporation or museums would be made, no crazy catastrophic plot about expanding the sea would come up again, and no one would find out that I was the one that put the final nail in Aqua's coffin. _My father would have my head, after all, if he knew I was getting into stuff like this._

_But I have to be realistic, _I thought, staring down at my shoes. _Would Team Aqua give up that easily…? No… _The more I thought about it, the more stupid it seemed to think that they'd stop their plans just because of one operation. _At least I know what they really are, now, though, _I thought, thinking again back to Mr. Cozmo. _They're not an activist group. I don't know why everyone's saying they are, and I definitely don't know exactly what they are myself, but if something happens again and no one's there to stop it… I will. But after Devon, Slateport, _and _Meteor Falls, and now this…_ I counted up the incidents on my fingers. _There's no way I'm the _only _one going against them, besides Team Magma… But if I am… then so be it._

Feeling proud, I nodded to myself and walked back towards the Cable Station. _Off to Lavaridge Town, then. I have a Gym challenge I need to finish!_

But just as I reached the main rim of the volcano, Maxie and a group of worn-out Magma grunts approached me. I raised my eyebrows. Their Pokemon were no longer called out, and, as I looked beyond them, Aqua was now nowhere to be seen.

"May!" Maxie exclaimed. "That was incredible. Thank you. You saved the life of this volcano, and all of the Pokemon living around it!"

I didn't let myself smile, but still warmly responded, "It was tough, but I just wanted to get Professor Cozmo's Meteorite back."

Maxie's eyes flicked to one of his subordinates for a split second, but were trained back on me so quickly that I wondered if I'd just been seeing things. "I see. You would make an excellent addition to Team Magma, should you ever gain more passion about the land and its forces… In any case, this was an amazing blow to Team Aqua, but this by no means guarantees their giving in. Team Magma will remain vigilant. We suggest you do, as well, young trainer."

I nodded hesitantly. The group turned to leave, and I watched them go, going back over what Maxie said about Team Magma when suddenly the amount of grunts seemed to multiply. I squinted. _What…? _Now they were spinning, and the ground was spinning, and my head was pounding, and I saw Lombre looking at me worriedly and Maxie and the Magma grunts peering back over at me, and suddenly I was hurtling towards the ground, and… Everything went dark.

* * *

**A/N:** I wanna apologize for how long this chapter got because WOW. I had to think about whether I wanted to keep the part with Steven in there since it's not May's POV. I think his part of the story is really important as far as Aqua/Magma goes since he's really the only other person fighting against them besides the protag, and it'd make sense since the first thing they do in the game is rob his dad's company.

Here you see a little bit more of May wishing she wasn't alone in the whole 'fighting a criminal gang' thing, and likewise Steven is more or less searching for someone to help him fight against them, like in the manga. Things probably would have been easier if they'd just decided to team up in Dewford, but nothing's that convenient.


	17. Lavaridge

**A/N: **Okay, first of all, sorry for not having the Gym battle this chapter. I originally wrote a lot for Lavaridge and I wanted to update before this Friday because honestly this weekend is going to be all ORAS for me. On that note I hope everyone's excited for remakes!

Really appreciate the reviews!

* * *

**Chapter 17 – Lavaridge Town, "An Excellent Place for Relaxing"**

I woke with a start. There was a foul taste in my mouth, and though I couldn't recall what I'd dreamt of, whatever it was left me feeling gloomy. I shook my head around and tried to take in my surroundings, but only achieved in giving myself a mild headache.

It was a bedroom… The walls were wooden, like that of a log cabin. There was a small window on the wall to the right of where my head was placed on the small, single bed, but the curtains were drawn. A circular carpet with a soothing green pattern on it rested on the floor. There was a small lamp on the nightstand, along with a full cup of water and a number of medicine containers. On the ceiling was a high-tech fan, though it wasn't turned on, and on the other end of the room was a half-open closet that seemed to hold an assortment of… bathing suits? I was totally confused.

Frowning, I sat up further, though not without cringing a little. I tried to pinpoint where the pain was coming from, but was interrupted by the door creaking open.

"Oh! She's awake!" exclaimed a nurse.

I gave her a look, eyes half-lidded. _Barely…_

The woman then held the door open further, and another younger girl stepped inside. She was dressed very casually, wearing loose, baggy jeans and a black top with a small pink flame on it that revealed her stomach. _Obviously, she's more used to the Hoenn climate than I am_. Though the most eye-catching part of the girl was her face; not only were her eyes bright red, but an enormous ponytail of crimson erupted from the top of her head. It was a little overwhelming and I feared I might pass out again just looking at her.

"Oh! She is!" said the girl, approaching me. I backed up little. "It's alright! I just wanna ask a few questions."

My eyes narrowed as I remembered my last encounter before blacking out. Team Magma – Maxie, and his subordinates… Did they… "You're… with Team Magma, then?"

I could tell by the look on her face that I'd asked the wrong question.

"Team… No! No no, I'm not, ahahaha! I'm Flannery, the Gym Leader of Lavaridge Town." She shook her head and gave me a great big smile.

I blinked. _Lavaridge… _"Lavaridge?!"

She rubbed her head. "Well, yeah! Your friend carried you down here. I wanted to ask you about that!"

_My friend…? _I thought, looking down. _Lombre? Or, does she mean someone like Wally, or Brendan?_

"Or, do you not remember that far?" she inquired. "Well, just in case it's bothering you, you're not hurt or anything! Luckily some retired doctor guy happened to be visiting the Pokemon Center when you and that guy showed up, and he did his thing, y'know, and said all you needed was a lot of rest and some evened out breathing and stuff."

_So, then, it was… because of something like that, that I blacked out… Was it the air?_

"It's weird, too!" Flannery continued. "Everyone goes up to the peak of Chimney all the time, including me, but we never really have anyone get injured due to fumes! You must've been awfully close to the rim, and for a long time!"

I met her gaze again and couldn't help but feel as though she had an ulterior motive. "Well, um, yeah…" I murmured. My voice was rough and I coughed again. "…The friend that brought me here, what did he look like…?" My curiosity got the best of me. I still wasn't convinced that this girl wasn't part of Team Magma.

"Oh!" she stood up straight and made a gesture similar to pulling up a hood. "He was kinda young, lanky, wearing a red hoodie-sort of thing with a cape, and had short hair, and a really… umm… nasty-looking face. Sorry if he was your boyfriend, or something, but… it's the truth!"

I frowned. _Red hoodie… that's definitely Magma, then… I do remember them turning towards me before I blacked out._

"He carried you bridal-style, too! It was pretty impressive! …Oh, sorry, is he not…"

"I… I d-don't know him, but… You see, I…" _Damn it! How do I word this? _"I-"

The voice of Nurse Joy outside the door interrupted my stuttering.

"…I don't think you should see her right now. She still needs lots of rest."

"Oh, don't worry about that! I'm here on behalf of the Pokemon League. I just want to check in."

_The Pokemon League…?_

"B-but sir-"

"Really, relax! You know, your hair looks nice today, Joy! You might mess it up if you get any more stressed!"

Silence. The door then swung open, and the candles on the other side of the room were blown out. "So!" announced a booming, deep voice. "Where is our mystery gal?"

Flannery jumped and turned to the man, saluting. "W-Wallace, sir! Um, what are you doing in Lavaridge Town…? I-I mean, welcome!"

I eyed the newcomer; he looked very familiar. _Where have I seen that teal hair before? And that voice…_

"It's okay, honestly, Flannery! I told you, think of me more as your friend than as a superior. All that formality will just inflate my ego even more, really." The man adjusted his hat and then glanced over at me. His casual expression changed to one of recognition. "Wait a second, is _this…?_"

The girl's mouth twisted into an unsure slanted line. "Well, I-I'm not sure. I mean, I _wasn't_ sure… All I mentioned when I talked to you was that some guy that looked like what you told me Team Magma looked like came marching down here the other day, and dumped her here…! You really didn't have to waste your time coming, Mr. Wallace. It was probably nothing." She cast me another hesitant look. "She's probably just a traveling trainer – the doctor said it was exhaustion that put her in this shape, nothing else…"

_Wait, 'the other day'__?! How long have I been out? _

"Oh, Flannery! It's completely fine. I was headed to Fallarbor for a contest, anyway."

Without breaking eye contact, Wallace approached me. I stuttered. "U-um."

"That's it! You _are_ the trainer I saw in Slateport, that time, aren't you!" he exclaimed, placing one hand on his chin.

I looked off to the side. "I-I don't know…" _Who is he…? That hair… maybe, was he the one with the hat…? Or was he one of the guys that dumped that drink on me?_

The man looked proud of himself. "I knew it! The one with the counterfeit Pokenav!"

"Pokenav…? _Counterfeit_…? What are you talking about?" I asked him, scowling.

Flannery looked completely baffled, ponytail swishing back and forth as she turned her head to me, to Wallace, back to me, and back to Wallace. "Do you two know each other?"

"Hardly."

"Not really…" I muttered in agreement. "…What were you saying about Team Magma?"

Wallace stepped in front of Flannery and knelt down in front of my bed, watching me carefully with two azure eyes. "Well, that all depends on what you were doing with Team Magma, mystery girl."

"W-Wallace, don't forget that I'm not entirely sure that guy was from-"

"The Meteorite? It belonged to some guy in Fallarbor, right?" He continued his interrogation, paying no mind to Flannery. "I still haven't caught the whole story, but whatever Team Magma might've been doing on Mt. Chimney, I'm sure the media will catch wind of it soon. So, it all comes down to you, then." He brought up a finger and poked my nose before I could react. I grinded my teeth. "I mean, I only know one other guy putting up as diligent a battle against those guys as you."

I narrowed my eyes. "…Why do you want to know? I ran into them while I was on Mt. Chimney, on my way here, to battle the Lavaridge Gym and get the badge. That's it."

Wallace sighed, but kept a ginger smile on his face as he glanced over at Flannery. "She sure is tough." Just then his Pokenav started ringing, and after one glance at the device, the man hopped to his feet. "It looks like I've got to take this. I've at least figured a few things out, though, I think. Time to check in with you-know-who. Thank you for the help, Flannery! Oh, and I hope you don't mind me using your private hot springs!"

Flannery gave Wallace an exasperated look as he fled the room as quickly as he had entered. "No way!"

I silently took a breath of relief. _Who _was _that guy? He sure is annoying…_ The Gym Leader turned to me once he left, scratching her head in thought again.

"Sorry! He's an awfully nosy guy, but I can't really talk down to him since he's my superior! I've really come to respect him, but I guess he does have his moments…" she murmured, half to herself.

I stood up, biting my lip at the stinging feeling in my right leg. "Is he… with the authorities? If so, I think I'll feel a little worse about not telling him everything…"

Flannery glanced at me and blinked in surprise. "Oh, no! Well, technically, no. Like he said, he's with the Pokemon League. Come to think of it, at the rate you seem to be going at, you'll probably be facing him in no time! Err, depending on whether you make it through _me_." She glanced down at my clothes and set her hands on her hips. "Anyways, you should hop in the hot springs while you're there, and maybe get a change of clothes. You've been wearing those for over two days, you know!"

I held back an embarrassed snort. _I've been wearing them for much longer than that. _Guiltily, I looked down; my clean-clothes stock had diminished a while back, and I'd occasionally find a stream to rinse the extras in, but it had recently become more convenient not to worry about changing at all. "Um, thank you. But was I really out for over 24 hours? And are there that many hot springs here?"

"You've been in and out, but yeah." She nodded enthusiastically. "And yup! That's what Lavaridge is all about, what with being tucked right into the side of Mt. Chimney and everything! C'mon, I'll show you!"

Flannery then bounded out the door. I blinked and hurried after her. She navigated through the halls of the Pokemon Center – which, really, was more like a lodge – until we came to a large, empty cafeteria with enormous windows at the end. I was beckoned over to one of them, and she pointed a finger down towards the ground, a floor below.

Sure enough, there was a medium-sized hot spring outside, with steps carved into a path of stones leading back into the Pokemon Center. The sun was at its peak in the sky and beat down on the red rocks and dirt around the spring area and the surrounding land, but the pool glittered invitingly. There was a fair amount of traffic, even for mid-day, though most of the people going in and out were elderly folks.

"That's not the only one, either," Flannery explained. "There are paths leading up the mountainside to private ones. I own a few that I inherited from my grandpa."

"That's amazing! I've only been to one in my whole life, when I was on vacation."

"Well, if you wanna use one, feel free!" beamed the trainer. "…Though, since you'll probably need something a little more therapeutic, you probably don't wanna go in the community one… Hmm… Tell you what, since you're gonna challenge my gym soon enough, I'll give you directions to a private one. That way you can get healed up for the big Gym battle faster, right?"

Before I could object, she bounded off down the hall, leaving me in the empty cafeteria. With another groan I looked over my reflection in the window. _What a mess –_ gray circles, scratches here and there… And more importantly, I was missing my signature bandanna. My hair was flying in every direction. There were still traces of ash all over my clothing and mixed in with my hair, and last, but not least, I reeked of some kind of weird mixture of sulfur, smoke, and salt water.

With a disgusted sigh, I found the nearest bathroom and gratefully headed inside.

* * *

_The hot spring is up the big path directly behind the Pokemon Center and then the seventh pathway to your right. There's a sign that says "Torkoal Onsen," but keep an eye open cause it's hidden by some bushes. I told Nurse Joy to send your Pokemon up there. Enjoy!_

_Gym Leader Flannery_

After hiking through Mt. Chimney's thin, ashy air I spotted the sign and entered "Torkoal Onsen." Needless to say, it was cozy. There was a small building I took to be a changing room on the far side of the clearing, a bathroom, a towel rack, and, of course, the hot springs; there were three pools a little smaller than the one outside the Pokemon Center, each a bright teal color. Steam billowed up from them, floating high into the atmosphere to mingle with the volcanic fumes. I grinned and slipped off one shoe to dip my foot into the water; it was piping hot, but relaxing.

* * *

After sitting in the spring for what felt like hours, I sat up and glanced at the sky. At this altitude, and this far away from the city, the conditions were much different, and there was a cloud of volcanic residue just thick enough to muffle the intense Hoenn sunlight that would've had me cooking like an egg if I were anywhere else. There was a soothing breeze, one that, thankfully, didn't carry soot along with it. I took a handful of water and splashed it on my face and hair, thinking, _I'd take the ocean over a mouthful of ash, any day._

More time passed and the bright blotch in the ash that was the sun began to crawl towards the horizon.

_Hmm… I don't remember those being there,_ I thought drowsily as I noticed a few bruises across my shins. _They must be from…_ Flashbacks from the battle with Archie hit me; Sharpedo summoning up that blue orb, the salty water filling the arena like a bowl; somewhere in that mess, I must've banged into one of the rocks. I sighed. _This is my fault, too… I'm lucky I got out of that battle alive, though… Maybe I really _should_ stop messing with Aqua._

I spent another few minutes holding my pruned hand just above the water and watching the steam stream through my fingertips. The sun descended some more.

"_Koal."_

I shifted upon hearing the faint noise, head snapping to my left, towards the rocky pathway leading back to the main trail. The other Torkoal seemed alert, too, though not aggressive.

"_Tor-koal!" _came the noise again. I sunk deeper into the water, carefully watching the pathway…

…And floated back up in relief when I found the source of the noise. Another Torkoal, working its way towards me, was trailing something yellow. _That's… my bag!_

* * *

Unfortunately, leisure wasn't a luxury I had a lot of and after spending another day at the hot springs I set off training again. The crags surrounding Lavaridge were dry and difficult to traverse, but chock full of trainers and Pokemon - particularly Jagged Pass. Where there weren't sharp rocks jutting out of the undergrowth, there were wiry, soot-gray trees. The ash from Mt. Chimney's peak hung over the pass like a roof, refusing to let the sunlight in, and so it was hard to see where I was stepping. On the bright side, I'd caught a Spoink to send to Professor Birch- not without nearly tumbling off the edge of a cliff, once or twice, though.

The Gym battle… The fourth badge. Roxanne, Brawly, Wattson, and now Flannery. _I'm almost halfway there…_! I thought with excitement as I barged into the Pokemon Center one night. _It feels like so long ago that I started off… I wonder who's after Flannery…? Maybe I'll finally get to battle Dad…?_ To think that after all this time, I'd be having a _real _battle against him... What would he think? Most of all, I hoped he didn't know anything about Team Aqua. If Flannery had figured that much out about me, what did _he_ know?

_I'm really going to have to step it up if I want to beat Flannery _and _him, _I told myself, feeling overwhelmed. _No more hot springs vacations or spa visits. Get your act together, May!_

* * *

**Years ago…**

"Hey, Papa, papa!" A young girl ran up to her father and began tugging on his hand vehemently. "Look!"

"What is it, May…?" The man glanced out to where his daughter was pointing. He was on vacation from work, and, at his wife's request, Pokemon training, so of course, he decided to walk up to the local Miltank farm with little May. She was pointing at the Pokemon – at least a dozen Miltank lay peacefully in the soft, green fields, occasionally mooing. "The Miltank?"

She smiled. "Milktank."

They made their way up to the main building and knocked on the door. The family that lived there was always so kind. And taking a day trip to the farms had always been one of Norman's favorite ways to escape the business of the city.

With their usual hospitality, the old couple let May and her father in. They purchased two cases of their famous Moomoo Milk and reluctantly stayed into the chilly autumn evening for dinner.

* * *

**A few years later…**

May dragged her feet as she walked up the country road that flanked Route 39. Another birthday, another argument over whether or not she was ready to get her own Pokemon and travel the region.

It'd been close, this time, too. Instead of just telling her no, her father had said, "I'll think about it." I'll think about it – her dreams rested on those four words. Wistfully, she gazed off across the meadows. It was always so calm here, and she found herself wandering over to the Moomoo Farm more and more often.

_Wait a second…_ One eyebrow raised, May looked out at the fenced-in parts of the fields. _Where are the Miltank? They're usually out here… They don't herd them into the stables until it's dark._ The sun was only now sinking beneath the horizon, staining the cloudless sky a deep scarlet color. _So, why…_

The girl's pace increased as she made her way down a side-path to the farm house. Were they just milking the Miltank? Was one of them sick? She had to investigate.

The lights were on in the house and May hurried towards the front door.

"_Go! Take them out the back!"_

"_I'm goin' as fast as I can!"_

The girl paused, swinging her head back around towards the barn. _What… was that?_ The door was wide open, and it was dark inside. _I'm probably imagining things…_

Climbing the steps, May gave the door a solid knock. "Excuse me? Is anyone home?"

No answer. Wiping the sweat in her palms off on her shirt and taking a deep breath, the girl knocked again. "Hello?"

Nothing. Then, just as she was about to turn around and investigate the barn, the door swung open and slammed into the wall inside. She jumped, letting out a gasp, and came face to face with a harsh-looking man dressed in black. He wore a beat-up black cap and his wide jawline was unshaven.

"I…" The girl looked past him and was immediately aware of what was going on.

A robbery. They were being robbed. She had walked in right in the middle of it. The whole family was seated in the main room, huddled together, at the mercy of another shrouded man.

"I know you two make a lot of cash from selling all that milk, so fess up! _Where is it!_"

She stood there stuttering and the man took the chance to grab her wrist and toss her inside. He poked his head out the door to see if anyone else was there, and, after a moment, slammed it shut once more and turned off the outdoor light.

"Ahg!" May pulled herself back to her feet, rubbing a scrape on her arm. "W-what's going on here?! You two – are you robbing-"

Before she could even finish her accusation, the doorman grabbed her from behind. "Who are you? A trainer?!"

She tried to squirm out of his hold, but it was no use. "N-no! I'm just a family friend! I-I mean… I'm just checking in on them! I'm buying Moomoo Milk! I…"

_Wait, what am I saying? _ Thought the girl. "Yes! I am! Now back off, or you're gonna get hurt!"

The family all gave May a wary and unsure look. "Just let them take the money, May, dear… Please," begged the mother quietly.

"It's not just the money!" The girl objected, trying to break the man's hold. "They're taking the Miltank, too! All of them!"

Everyone gasped and the second burglar turned on May, giving her a furious glare. "What do you think you are, a hero? Get out of here!" He threw out one hand, and down from the ceiling swooped an enormous bat-like Pokemon.

Terrified, May tried to back away or duck, but the other man only tightened his hold.

The bat Pokemon approached her at a terrifying speed. "Supersonic, then Bite!" ordered the trainer.

With no other choice, the girl lunged for her pocket where she was keeping a single Pokeball. It wasn't hers, and by no means did she know what to do with the Pokemon that was inside, but unfortunately, she was the type to act before she thought. The Pokemon – an Ursaring, her father's strongest – exploded from the device just in time to grab the bat Pokemon out of mid air.

"Golbat!" cried the trainer.

May lit up and managed to duck out of her captor's hold.

"Damn you! Use Supersonic again, Golbat!"

Ursaring contined to pull at the Pokemon's leathery wings like it was a toy, paying no regard to May as she slipped around it and over to the family.

"Go," the girl whispered to them. "Hurry!"

The group very hesitantly got up, but the whole time their eyes were on the Pokemon battle unfolding in their kitchen. A horrible shriek came from the bat Pokemon and when May turned around to check in on the monstrous Normal-type, it was stumbling backwards and had let go of Golbat.

May had let her guard down, and Ursaring was taking the toll.

"Now, Wing Attack!"

The girl tugged on her hair as the bear Pokemon took a beating from Golbat. It was like it was completely defenseless. Was this the confusion effect? She grinded her teeth. _I didn't know it was this bad!_

Two more blows were landed on Ursaring before May summoned up the will to fight back. "Ursaring, use Fury Swipes!"

At first, it seemed like the Pokemon heard her, and its dagger-like claws began to shine. The family, meanwhile, was backing further and further away towards the back door, afraid of what was about to happen.

Ursaring was still confused. The moment it swung its first claw and hit the wall instead of Golbat, May realized this. Plaster and wood was shredded into bits and fell to the ground in the attack's wake – but it wasn't done yet.

"Stop! Wait!" The desperateness in the girl's voice was obvious as she called out to the Pokemon. "Stop attacking, Ursaring!"

But it wouldn't listen. The Pokemon brought its next paw back and swiped it down at what it thought was its target. There was more crashing, and now the faucet of the kitchen sink was gone. The attack had barely missed the counter – with the ridiculous size of the claw, the entire section could have been crushed. Water sprayed out from the pipes and upset the bear Pokemon even more. It began to roar and stomp its feet in irritation.

The two thugs were looking at May now, curiously. She was a mess, repeatedly clicking the Pokeball to try and return her rampaging Pokemon.. _What should we do?_ They thought. _There's no way this girl's a trainer!_

"Hey, let's get outta here. The Miltank are probably all in the truck by now. Screw the money. This whole house might come down," the Golbat trainer told his friend, and they both fled the scene.

May barely noticed this as she watched Ursaring continue to swing its claws around and roar in fury. "Stop!" she shouted, getting angry. "Golbat isn't even here anymore! You're destroying their house!"

Again, the Pokemon swung its claw and this time broke a door leading into another room.

And still, the attack wasn't over.

Fed up, the girl sprinted forward to try and hold the Pokemon back. _Maybe it'll recognize me up close,_ she thought hopefully. "Ursaring!"

But the Pokemon didn't even notice the girl and once more readied a claw. May gasped in dismay as she realized that she was now in Ursaring's attack range and stumbled backwards into the shredded section of the wall. Time seemed to slow down as she watched the bear Pokemon give another mighty battle cry, bearing its fangs, and then…

It stopped.

It was like the claw was suspended in midair. But that wasn't the case – there was something holding it back. Promptly, right before May's unbelieving eyes, Ursaring was flipped over onto its back and then pinned to the ground by one huge foot.

The Pokemon was one not of the Johto region – a Slaking. May cautiously brought herself back to her feet and stared. Standing beside the Pokemon was her father.

"May," he said in a restrained tone. "The Pokeball."

The girl approached her father in defeat and set the stolen object in his hand. Without a word, he recalled the fallen Ursaring.

Overwhelmed with guilt and embarrassment, May met her father's cold eyes and then sauntered out of the front door, not bothering to give him an excuse. Norman, in turn, strode over to the barn, Slaking still by his side, and disappeared towards the back of the building.

* * *

**Present Time**

"Al-right!" I announced as I closed the door behind me and flicked on the lights to the Pokemon Center bedroom. Each of my Pokemon emerged from their Pokeballs, yawning. "Time to plan ahead for this gym battle!"

There were a number of groans and growls from my audience, but I brushed them aside and whipped out my Pokenav once again.

"Apparently, she battles aggressively. And I already know she uses Fire-types…" My eyes flicked across my team once again, narrowing when they reached Combusken. "You may have to sit this one out-"

"COMBUSKEN!" The Pokemon attacked me upon hearing the news.

"Come on, Combusken, get off! It'd be better if I used Pokemon that give me more of an advantage, since it's a three-on-three battle!" I tugged the emotional bird off of me and set it down next to Mightyena. "Plus, you're my strongest Pokemon right now. I need to focus on training the others, too. And that wound of yours from the fight with Archie still isn't healed!"

The Fire-type didn't look satisfied, but quieted down. I turned to the rest of my Pokemon and placed one hand on my chin. "Now, let's see… Fire-types…"

_Lombre is my strongest Water-type,_ I thought, narrowing my eyes, _but it's also part Grass, so I'll only have a one-way type advantage, right…?_

I glanced over to Wingull. _He's Water-Type, too, but not as strong as the rest of my Pokemon… But, still, Bubblebeam will probably be a trump card, if Flannery really is all-out Fire and offense._

With a quick nod, I returned the two Pokemon to their Pokeballs. _Now, one more…_ My gaze moved to Mightyena, who was standing tall and looked prepared. Its confident eyes met mine, but, after a moment, I looked over to my left.

_Let's use…_ I thought, feeling a little creative, _you!_

"_Aron?"_ chirped the creature as I took out the Pokedex.

_That's right, _I told myself, _Aron isn't just Steel-type; he's part Rock!_

"Aron, return!" I commanded, and the Pokemon disappeared into its Pokeball. I glanced back at the rest of my Pokemon and nodded. "The rest of you should take tomorrow off! I need you to be in top condition, in case we run into Team Aqua again on the road."

Mightyena and Combusken looked away nervously, as if they understood the words 'Team Aqua' and the weight they carried. I felt a pang of guilt as the Dark-type's tail brushed down between its hind legs.

"Relax, I'll win the battle with Flannery, and I won't let Aqua get that far again. I promise."


	18. VS Flannery!

**A/N: **How do you guys like the remakes? I think they're amaaazing and _really_ true to the originals, and all of the stuff that they did add only adds to the experience. I'm actually right at the Flannery gym battle right now. And stuff that I completely totally headcanoned in this fic (like the news following Team Aqua and the protagonist) ended up more or less being in the game, which is neat. And Meteor Falls is stunning.

Enough of that, here's the Lavaridge gym battle!

* * *

**Chapter 18 – VS. Flannery, "One with a Fiery Passion that Burns!"**

The air was heavy, soggy, and dense with steam rising from the many hot springs placed inside the gym. I clenched my fists and my chin high as I stepped into the main arena, having defeated most of the other Gym trainers placed throughout the building. My plan had worked so far; Wingull's Bubblebeam was unlimitedly useful, and the Pokemon was fast enough to avoid Fire-type attacks from Pokemon like Slugma and Numel.

My feet cut through the steam hovering just over the floor and I took my place at what appeared to be the challenger's side of the arena. Flannery was nowhere to be seen; I took the moment to glance around at my surroundings. The steam was thick and puffy, like clouds, gathering in some areas and gently moving across the stadium. The perimeter of the battlefield was lined with small, lush bonsai trees, and the floor itself was made of wood. It was just like a bathhouse.

"Welcome, May!" came a cheery voice, and from a cloud of steam, Flannery emerged, looking as energetic as ever. She was grinning. "This is the- er… wait…"

I blinked. "What…"

The girl's brow lowered and she narrowed her shining eyes. "Prepare yourself, Trainer May. You may have passed through the ranks rather quickly, but I'll end your winning streak here." Flannery's voice now had more strength to it, and sounded loads more serious. She stood straighter, drawing out a Pokeball from her pocket. "With the skills passed down from my grandfather, one of the most powerful Pokemon trainers out there, I will teach you what battling is about!"

Brow furrowed, I went along with her strange new demeanor and pulled out Lombre's Pokeball. "This is three on three, right?"

The redhead threw up a peace sign and laughed. "That's right!"

_Eh?!_

"Er… Of course, Trainer May. Are you ready? You friends certainly are." There was that weird change again.

_Wait, friends?_ I thought, looking around; surely enough, in a small seating area on the sidelines of the arena, a few people were seated; I could only see faint silhouettes through all of the steam, but I assumed they might've been some random trainers, or maybe Brendan or Professor Birch.

Silently, Flannery released her first Pokemon; a Slugma, just like the Gym trainers. _Easy enough._ I took a deep sigh, focusing, and released Lombre.

"Let the Lavaridge City Gym Battle begin!" called a referee.

My strategy was simple; avoid Fire-type attacks and land as many Water-type ones as I could. It was easy with Wingull, who had the advantage of flying. Lombre was significantly less agile than the Flying-type, but the type advantage would surely make up for it.

"Your move, Trainer May!" Flannery announced in a booming voice.

I swallowed. _Why do I feel like I'm… _underestimating _her?_ She held a hardened, but arrogant, expression, and her eyes and hair were shimmering, like they were on fire – it was probably just the humidity messing with my sight. _Don't falter now, May! _I told myself, gloved fists clenching even tighter.

"Wingull, use Water Pulse!"

The Pokemon flew forwards, opening its beak and releasing a surge of water. It blasted towards the unmoving Fire-type, closer, closer…

"Light Screen!"

A reflective wall materialized in front of Slugma, blocking most of Wingull's attack; the water simply evaporated upon contact, releasing nothing but a weak splash through the barrier and onto the Pokemon's boiling-hot body. Its bulging yellow eyes narrowed in irritation.

I swallowed. _Light Screen?! That… protects against ranged attacks, so if I…_

"Wingull!" I shouted back, snapping the Pokemon out of its daze, "Hit it with Wing Attack before it can recover!"

The Pokemon squawked and swooped downwards towards Slugma. Its right wing, though flimsy, began glowing a brilliant white.

Flannery seemed to anticipate this attack and shouted, "Slugma, use Flamethrower!"

Right as Wingull closed in on the Pokemon, Slugma's maw opened up wide, lava dripping out like molten saliva, and it hurled out a blast of fire directly into Wingull's face. Wing Attack seemed to land, but Wingull no sooner swerved out of the way and crashed into the ground, crying out in pain. Slugma cringed noticeably, as well.

I cursed under my breath. "Get up, Wingull! Before-"

"Now, use Rock Slide, Slugma!" Flannery shouted, thrusting one pointing arm forwards and grinning. She was like a completely different person from the girl I'd met in the Pokemon Center.

"Wingull!" I shouted. The fragile Pokemon finally got to its feet, but not in enough time; massive rocks, and lots of them, were tumbling towards it at full speed. "Use Quick Attack!"

With great effort, Wingull sped forward through the treacherous boulder shower towards Slugma again. I heard Flannery gasp as another hit was landed on the Fire-type.

But Wingull was pushed to exhaustion by this move, and once again skidded to a stop on the ground. Slugma, with the energy it had left, threw up another Rock Slide attack that pummeled little Wingull before it could even bring itself to its feet.

"_Gull,_" it chirped as I recalled it back into the ball, muttering an apology under my breath. _I was wrong… very wrong. _I looked up, meeting the Gym Leader's fiery gaze. _And now I'm paying the price…_

Flannery now seemed as cheerful as ever. "C'mon, May! I get trainers in here with Wingulls all the time! Of course I have a strategy against 'em! They're, like, the most common Pokemon in Hoenn."

I gritted my teeth. "I'm not done yet!" I threw Lombre's Pokeball forwards, and with an explosion of light, it appeared in front of me, head tilted forward so that its lilypad hat cast a shadow over its face.

Flannery raised her eyebrows. "A Lombre? Interesting! You _do _know it's part Grass-type, though, right?"

"_Fake Out!" _

Lombre, with speed that even surprised me, approached the unprepared Slugma. Its two hands glowed white, and, towering in front of the Fire-type, the Pokemon smashed both together on either side of its head. There was a loud clapping noise followed by a cry of pain.

"Slugma!" Flannery cried, trying desperately to communicate with her stunned Pokemon. "Hurry! Use Flamethrower while it's still in front of you!"

Slugma remained unresponsive. I smirked. "Good job, Lombre! Now, finish it off with a Bubblebeam!"

I heard Flannery shout in protest as Lombre, still directly in front of Slugma, released a flurry of bubbles. The Light Screen weakened the attack, but the Fire-type was already weakened from its fight with Wingull and had no way of dodging.

"Slugma!" Flannery called again to her unresponsive Pokemon. It slumped down in exhaustion as the rest of the bubbles floated off and popped, and Lombre, triumphant, stepped back towards my side of the battlefield. I gave it a little smile and prepared myself for the Gym Leader's next Pokemon.

Flannery appeared to be back to her formal, intimidating personality. "Hmph! That was impressive, Trainer May! But like you said before, the battle isn't over yet!"

A second Pokeball was tossed out, and I found myself facing off a small, yellow, camel-like Pokemon that looked awfully confused. Numel, I remembered – I'd seen it in Fiery Path. It kneaded the ground and had two droopy, timid eyes. _I'm supposed to battle this thing?_ I pulled out my Pokedex to reread its entry, raising my eyebrows.

"_Numel, the Numb Pokemon. Numel stores magma of almost 2,200 degrees F within its body. If it gets wet, the magma cools and hardens. In that event, the Pokemon's body grows heavy and its movements become sluggish."_

_This could be bad news,_ I thought, giving Lombre a worried look. _2,200 degrees?!_

Flannery ordered her Pokemon to use Focus Energy. I waited a moment, gazing expectantly as the Pokemon seemed to gather itself and charging energy, and then called for Lombre to use another Bubblebeam while it was dormant. As if she were expecting this, Flannery called out for Numel to use an attack I'd never expected.

"Release it! Use Flamethrower!"

She yelled so loudly, with such a powerful edge to her voice, I wondered whether it had boosted the attack's power. A brilliant stream of flames emerged from a hole on the Pokemon's small hump. The proportions were all out of wack; the width of the Flamethrower was probably double the width of the actual Pokemon's body. I would have laughed if Lombre's Bubblebeam was not completely overcome by the flames, which then engulfed it.

Lombre cried out in pain, and I stood there helplessly as a wave of heat blew past me. I ran the back of my hand across my forehead, breathing heavily, and called out the Pokemon's name.

"_B-bre…_" came the weak noise as the smoke and fire cleared. Lombre was still up and running, but barely. I panicked and fidgeted as I tried to figure out how in the world I'd land an attack on Numel when it had that kind of power; not to mention, the Light Screen was still up. Out of pure anxiousness, I shoved my hand into a pocket, and my fingers met the cold surface of the Pokedex again.

"Focus Energy, Numel!" Flannery's voice came from across the arena, sending another wave of nervousness up my spine. At this rate, I'm be done for…!

I clenched the Pokedex tighter and thought back to the entry. "_If it gets wet, the magma cools and hardens. In that event, the Pokemon's body grows heavy and its movements become sluggish."… Then maybe…!?_

"Flamethrower!"

"Dodge, Lombre!"

My Pokemon hit the ground just as another wave of fire was blasted towards it. Numel then paused, taking heavy breaths, and I made my move.

"Quickly! Use Water Sport!"

Lombre pulled itself back to its feet and raised its head up to the ceiling. A thin stream of water shot out of its beak, soaring up and up before raining back down across the arena in all directions. This went on for a whole thirty or so seconds, until there was a thin layer of water across the floor and much of the steam had cleared. At the same time, Numel, not used to the cool, damp conditions, began groaning in irritation. Flannery muttered something and shifted.

"Numel… Give it another Flamethrower!"

The Fire-type reared its head back, getting ready to release an attack, and Lombre flinched. "Stand your ground, Lombre!"

"_Nu… mel?"_

Nothing but a small puff of smoke emerged from the Pokemon's back. Flannery blinked in confusion.

I grinned and continued attacking; with a few Absorbs and one big Bubblebeam, Numel was knocked out and recalled into its Pokeball. Lombre crossed its arms cooly and tipped its lilypad over its face.

_One more Pokemon! _I thought excitedly. _I can win this!_

Torkoal was Flannery's final Pokemon. I recognized it as soon as it emerged from its Pokeball and smiled. "That's your signature Pokemon, huh?"

Flannery remained quiet, holding a determined expression, though it looked a little forced.

I took a step back, letting her have the first move. _It's okay – as long as Water Sport is active, Lombre will have the upper hand._ I shifted my feet, splashing some of the water onto my legs – it was cool and refreshing, unlike the stuffy interior of the gym.

"Torkoal," Flannery's voice echoed across the whole room, "Sunny Day!"

_Huh?_

The Pokemon rumbled and growled as though it were charging an attack, and, in response, the windows on either side of the arena began glowing as though spotlights were pointed directly through them. In turn, the arena lit up with sunlight; it was pretty, at first, as the remaining water from Water Sport glittered, but the heat rapidly got stronger and stronger over the course of a few seconds until I was forced to unzip part of my jacket and shed my gloves and shoes.

"Hey, what are you thinking?! Isn't it warm enough in here?" I couldn't help but complain. It was probably well above 90 degrees. I had half a mind to retreat to a shadier part of the arena, but if Lombre was going to stick it out, so was I.

"Good, Torkoal!" Flannery said with a cheery grin, ignoring me completely. "Now, Overheat!"

_Overheat?_ I thought. _T-that doesn't sound pretty…_ "Stay on guard, Lombre!"

Torkoal took in a deep breath, and, after a few seconds, exploded – literally – with white and scarlet flames. They erupted in all directions, from its mouth, from the four holes on the sides of its shell, and from the upper opening on its back. I cried out in surprise, shielding my face and gritting my teeth as the temperature rose even higher.

By some miracle, Lombre was able to avoid Torkoal's attack. I observed with squinted eyes as Torkoal's flames seemed to sweep across the arena, leaving enormous clouds of steam wherever they came in contact with anything remotely damp. My stomach twisted as I realized the attack wasn't even meant for Lombre.

_The Sunny Day… the Overheat… don't tell me it was all meant to… _I glanced down at the ground. My feet were no longer submerged, or even wet. They were dry. The ground was dry. Everything was. Flannery had negated the effects of Water Sport with the same type of attack it was meant to weaken.

"L-Lombre," I muttered, "don't give in! Use Bubblebeam!"

Weakly, the Pokemon started to counterattack, but Flannery, as usual, seemed to see right through my strategy. It was getting on my nerves.

"Attract, Torkoal!"

I couldn't believe what unfolded in front of my eyes. _Attract. Attract?! _Somehow, _somehow, _Torkoal's attack caused Lombre to stop whatever it was doing and fall head over heels – literally – for the wrinkly turtle on the other side of the battlefield.

"Hey, Lombre!" I protested. "Snap out of it! Use Bubblebeam, like I said!"

Flannery crossed her arms. "Sorry, May! That's not how Attract works!"

"Wh-"

"Body Slam, Torkoal!"

Lombre tottered and drooled as the huge – but slow – Torkoal closed in on it and rammed into it with the heavy shell on its back. The wiry Pokemon flew backwards, skidding across the steaming floor, and slamming into a wall. Any hopes I held of the attack somehow snapping Lombre out of its infatuation were crushed when the dust cleared and it was completely knocked out.

"Return," I muttered. _There goes my last Water-type. I'm really in for it, now…_

Flannery grinned. She'd sat down, now, legs crossed. Clearly she was less affected by the heat than I was. "Well, May! How're you gonna recover from that one? Are you gonna use that crazy Combusken of yours? Or maybe you'll just give up!"

With a grim frown, I pulled out my last Pokeball; Aron. Initially, I had thought that its Rock-type combination would give me an advantage; but now that I'd seen Overheat and witnessed Torkoal's insane defenses firsthand, I wasn't so sure…

_I have no choice! _ I thought, shaking my head and tossing out the Pokeball. _Aron will have to work!_

"_Aron!"_ The Pokemon barked enthusiastically. "_Ron!"_

Flannery laughed. "Aah, it's so cute! I want one!" She then raised her eyebrows and glanced at me. "That's a Steel-type, though, isn't it?"

I looked down. "It's… part Rock-type, too…"

Flannery only shrugged. "Well, then, let the fight continue! Torkoal, Attract!"

Panic coursed through me. _Not again! No!_ "D-dodge, Aron!"

Aron turned around and gave me a questioning look as the attack enveloped it. "No!" I cried.

The attack – a pink glow – faded, and still, Aron blinked at me indifferently. "_Ron?"_

"Huh? Huuuuh? No way!" Flannery exclaimed. "Don't tell me, your Aron's female, too? Aah, crap!"

_Female? _I thought, meeting Aron's tiny blue eyes again. _Aron's a girl?_

As if it had read my thoughts, the Pokemon's eyes narrowed and it barked furiously at me. I rubbed the back of my head. "S-sorry! The Pokedex doesn't tell me stuff like that!"

"_A-ron!" _It growled, turning away from me. I sighed. _132 pounds of steel, sass, and feminine rage. Well, let's hope you can pull through for me, little guy – er…_

"Well, that's alright, I guess!" Flannery chimed with a slight shrug. "After all, that's not Torkoal's trump card; Overheat is! Right, Torkoal!"

The Pokemon huffed in reply. I found it hard to believe that such a weary thing would be able to cope with such an energetic trainer.

"_Koal!_" The magma chamber on its back began glowing hot white again, and I swallowed. _Overheat has such a wide range – how is Aron supposed to dodge it?_ I looked down at the tiny Pokemon, thinking hard, but it was no sooner that Torkoal launched its attack.

Out of ideas, I impulsively told Aron to use Iron Defense. Three streams of fire then drilled into the Pokemon from each side and the Steel-type's hardened skin glowed brighter and brighter under the heat.

Eventually, Torkoal ran out of juice and the tubes of flame sputtered out, at least until Flannery ordered another attack. Aron was sent stumbling back towards me; I knelt down. Its eyes were squeezed shut and it looked like it was in a great amount of pain. Tentatively, I reached out to steady the poor thing.

However, as soon as I placed my hand on its head, I fell backwards, hissing in pain and clutching my hand. Aron's metal plates were hot. Incredibly hot. Parts of my palm were definitely burned. Aron's blue eyes slowly peeled open, and it gazed at me worriedly.

"I'm okay," I told it, waving my hand back in forth so as to cool it off. "Are you, Aron?"

The Pokemon straightened and let out a hearty bark. "_Aron!_" It didn't appear to have taken that much damage; _but how? Overheat's not as effective since it's part Rock-type, sure, but… With that powerful an attack… And Iron Defense raises Defense, not Special Defense, so there's no way it weakened Overheat at all…_ My eyes flicked to Aron's steel armor, which was still glowing hot. Aron, however, appeared to be only slightly damaged, and was bouncing back out into the battlefield. _Maybe… the attack isn't weakened because Aron's Special Defense isn't any higher than normal, but because its Defense was raised… somehow… the heat's getting caught in that armor of it and isn't hurting Aron as much as it should…_

Gears in my mind gradually began turning faster and faster. Flannery, on the other side of the field, frowned a bit; I noticed her Torkoal was puffing much more, now, and the glowing inside of its shell was beginning to subside. _Overheat must take a lot of energy… After three attacks, I might just be able to land some moves on it without having to worry about having my Pokemon melted into a puddle…!_

"Aron," I called, "Stand your ground!"

"Torkoal, hit it with another Overheat!" Flannery commanded.

I clenched my fists. If I got too close to Torkoal, it might use a physical attack; if I kept Aron away from it… _Flannery wouldn't risk having a slow Pokemon like Torkoal attack head-on like that, since it'll give me an opportunity!_

The Pokemon charged itself up once again, and, in turn, I told Aron to use another Iron Defense. With another blast – this one shorter than the previous one – Aron, though significantly damaged, was even hotter. _I'll do one more… Just to make sure,_ I thought to myself. Flannery seemed to catch on to my plan and gave me the move; I sent in Aron with a Metal Claw as a decoy, knowing Flannery would want to use Overheat at point blank if Aron was in the right place at the right time, and it worked; with one last Iron Defense, Aron's armor was a blinding white. The glare was only intensified by the Sunny Day, which was still active, boosting Torkoal's attack power. Aron was definitely faltering, however; _now's the time to attack! I can't wait any longer! Please let this work!_

"Now, Aron, give it your best Take Down! Go!"

Flannery, still looking a little confused, ordered Torkoal to send another Overheat at my Pokemon, now that it was running right towards it. The Fire-type, though tired, obeyed, but the Overheat was so weak now that it hardly phased Aron and resembled an Ember more than anything else. Aron stumbled through it and, with one last push, rammed its incredibly hot body into Torkoal's underside. It was like a cannonball. A searing hot, angry, cannonball. The enemy Pokemon was tossed into the air before landing on its back, completely exhausted; Aron just barely pulled itself back to its feet and was breathing heavily, trying to cool itself off.

_We... we did it! _I thought. My frown floated up into a wide grin. "We did it, Aron!"

"_Aron!" _the Pokemon mustered, limping towards me. I skidded onto my knees and gathered it into a hug, only to immediately let go and cry out in pain at how hot its skin still was.

"Ouch!"

"May!" Flannery spoke up and jogged over to me. I got back to my feet to face her. "That was a great battle."

I nodded. "It was a little close, ahahaa…!"

Flannery shrugged. "I-I got a little carried away, though. I guess I just need more time to adjust to being a Gym Leader." She glanced off to the sidelines, where the spectators, still unrecognizable through the steam, were filing out of the room, and pouted. "I'm still a newbie, y'know? I'm not really sure how Gym Leaders are supposed to act, whether it's strict or whatever…" She looked back at me, a confident blaze in her eyes. "But, you taught me that I should just be my usual self! That's the best way to connect with your Pokemon. The way you and Aron are with each other – that's how I want to be with my Pokemon one day. Thanks, May. Oh! That's right, the goodies!"

I stood there, eyebrows raised, as the redhead pulled out two items from her pocket and handed me them. "Here, the Heat Badge! Take it, as a thanks! C'mon, don't be shy!"

A little flustered, I took the badge and flipped it around in my hand. It resembled a flame, and shined beautifully under the sunlight coming in from the ceiling.

"Oh, the TM, too!" Flannery shoved a small disc into the same hand. "It's for Overheat."

"Overheat…" I muttered. "Oh! Really?"

She nodded. "Yup! It's probably one of the most powerful Fire-type moves, y'know? Oh, but don't misuse it, like I did! I think you already know why."

I looked back down at the TM. "It… lowers the user's Attack- or, Special Attack, right?"

The girl grinned halfheartedly. "That's right! I guess you noticed that during the fight. I've never really had any battles where the trainer picked up on that, without knowing what the move was before challenging me… Well, actually, there was that one time…"

Flannery went on babbling about some battle she had in the past for her Gym Leader exam. I faded in and out of listening, fawning over the new TM and badge and my own hopes for the future; that was until I heard a familiar name mentioned and snapped back into reality.

"…Yeah, your battle style really reminds me of his, you know? It's weird!" she said with a big laugh.

I shifted. "Wait, whose?"

"Oh, Norman. You might now know him yet, but he's the leader of the Petalburg Gym," Flannery repeated. "That's actually where you should head next."

"My… battle… style?" I murmured to myself, looking away.

"Yeah!" Flannery exclaimed. "He gets really into it, and serious, I think, but he also notices all the little details, like Torkoal getting weaker after each Overheat. If I had to guess, I'd say he's been around Pokemon most of his life. Kinda like my old man. Yeah, he was part of the Elite Four for a long time, but he retired recently, and…"

* * *

Dragging my feet, I sauntered back out into Lavaridge Town. I'd been expecting a wave of cool air, but unfortunately, it was still hot. I felt a little defeated, despite having won the gym match. The weather had drained me of energy.

"Let's just go back to the Pokemon Center, Aro-"

"Yo, it's May! Hey!"

_That's… Brendan's voice?_ I forced myself to stand up a little straighter and put on a less gloomy expression. "Hey."

"Yeesh, long time no see! Lavaridge Gym, huh?" Brendan's head tilted up towards the building behind me. "Not bad, not bad! I might as well give you these, then, as a prize!"

I raised my eyebrows. "'These'?"

Brendan whipped out a huge pair of goggles and held them out to me. "Yeah. Go-Goggles. They really come in handy. I don't need 'em anymore, since I already explored Route 111. You know, the one with the sandstorm. Hoenn's a really diverse region, so I bet you'd find a lot of interesting Pokemon there. I already caught most of the Pokemon species available there, so it's not like it'd be a big contribution to my dad's Pokedex if you went and caught them too, but if you want them for gym battles n' such, it wouldn't be a bad idea."

I took the goggles and fumbled around with them. They were really nice – but wearing goggles, outside of the water? It seemed crazy. "Thanks. It's weird to think you'd have to use them outside of the water, but after seeing Route 111, I gotta agree with you."

We laughed, but then Brendan grinned and gave me a mischievous look. "Oh! Speaking of gym battles, I was thinking about heading back to Petalburg and challenging Norman to a gym battle. Just thought I'd tell you, in case you wanna come watch. He seems pretty tough – unlike _you_ – so you might want to train a little more, before you challenge him."

I squinted. _What? _I opened my mouth to challenge him to a battle right that instant, but as quickly as he had approached me, Brendan was already on a shiny new bike, riding it off into the city. "Later, May!"

My teeth grinded and I let out a hiss of air "T-the nerve of that guy…! …Come on, Aron." My grip on the Go-Goggles tightened. "It looks like we can explore Route 111, now."

Aron barked in protest.

"Oh, that's right! Pokemon Center first, Pokemon Center first. I know."

* * *

Nurse Joy advised me against traveling out to Route 111, since it would be dark by the time I got there, so I reluctantly stayed another night at the Lavaridge Pokemon Center for a well-earned rest. Aron and the others healed, Combusken and Mightyena bothered me about the gym battle, and I spent some time playing with the Pokenav before dozing.

_So, then, I finally have to challenge Dad… And Flannery thinks I battle like him? _I rolled onto my side, glancing over at Combusken. Now it was trying to climb onto Mightyena's back and ride it, much to the Dark-type's dismay. _It's been a while, but… am I really strong enough to beat him? What if I lose? What if… he finds out about Team Aqua?_

My thoughts flickered around some more before I finally closed my eyes, relaxed, and fell into a slumber.

* * *

**A/N: **So at this point I've pretty much decided on Salamence/Cradily (which is great because that's what I already have in the fic anyways, I just wrote it so that I could change it if I needed to). Both of them will show up (in their first forms obviously) next chapter!

Thanks for reading~


	19. Fossils, Scientists, Memories

**A/N: **ORAS! I'm nearing the Kyogre battle and it's been amaziiiiiing! It's also helped me understand the characters more, so I hope I'll be able to better portray them in this. (The only unrecoverable one will probably be Matt – he's so different in the remakes!)

Here's chapter 19! Thanks for reading!

* * *

**Chapter 19 – Return to Rustboro! Fossils, Scientists, and Memories **

Route 111.

I fastened the Go-Goggles around my head as the grass turned to dirt, and the dirt to sand that sunk underneath my feet. The warm, humid breeze turned into arid, hot gales that blew dust and sand drifts into my face. I trudged forward a bit, only to stop again as a blast of the substance slapped me in the face.

Aron looked up curiously, unaffected by the sandstorm.

"Uhg! Uh-g!" I groaned, spitting and coughing. "T-this is crazy! The sand's blowing right into my mouth! Uhhg, gross!"

The little Steel-type bounced up in front of me and stood tall as though trying to block the sand from my view, but it was useless; Aron was about the size of my bag. _That might keep sand out of my shoes, at least, though._

I turned away from the wind, covering my mouth, and thought harder. _Hmm… Maybe… My bandana?_ I untied the article from my head and retied it around the back of my neck, tightening it and pulling the top over my nose, and then turned back into the wind. Sure enough, the makeshift facemask was keeping the sand out of my face. It smelled kind of bad, though.

"Perfect!"

We spent the remainder of the day wandering through the desert, which seemed to go on for miles and miles, and even found a few other trainers dressed in a similar fashion that offered battles. Unfortunately, none of my other Pokemon were resistant to the Sandstorm, so the only one I could effectively battle with was Aron – who seemed more than ecstatic to do everything itself. Like Brendan said, the Pokemon I met weren't anything like ones on normal Hoenn routes; there was Trapinch, who practically knocked Aron out, as well as Baltoy and Cacnea; I'd caught one of the Cacnea, but decided to send it back to the PC. There was also another Pokemon I hadn't seen in ages: Sandshrew. They were all over Johto and Kanto, and all kinds of newbie trainers used them. I wondered to myself if they were as common in Hoenn or not.

As the sun made its way back towards the horizon, Aron and I also explored what seemed to be an abandoned tower among the endless ocean of sand; it could easily have been mistaken for a crumbled ruin or cliff, had it not been for its height. Despite its vacancy, it wasn't the least bit dark inside; parts of the wall had deteriorated and fallen apart, letting in some of Hoenn's brilliant sunlight.

"Wow…" I muttered in awe, gazing down at the floor. Though there were piles of sand here and there, if it was brushed aside, one could make out small, intricate designs carved into the stone. There were no other footprints, which was a little surprising; I wasn't that far into Route 111, and the tower was pretty inconspicuous. "Do you think other people have been here recently? It doesn't look like it…"

Aron chirped in reply. It was alert, and I took that as a sign to stay on edge.

We continued up the tower, not running into any Pokemon – another oddity – and passed many openings in the tower's wall where the sand came rushing in like water into a sinking boat. The spiral staircase eventually stopped on what I assumed was the top floor; it was simple, and just as dilapidated as the rest of the tower, but among the many chunks of stone, I noticed two strange objects.

"What… are those?" I murmured, moving forwards. Aron stumbled on ahead, into the center of the room, and poked at them curiously.

Closer up, they seemed to be… _fossils_? They certainly weren't artifacts of some kind; they were just rocks shaped like the skeletons of some kind of creatures. One had a shape like a flower, and another, an appendage or claw of some sort.

My puzzled frown lifted into a big grin. "Well, should we take them, Aron? You remember what that fossil guy outside Fallarbor said, right? Pokemon fossils!"

The Pokemon nodded excitedly and continued bumping its head into the rocks.

I reached out, but then stopped myself. _Wait. What if they're not supposed to be taken? W-what if it's a trap or something? Or some kind of tourist spot, and I'm stealing them?!_ However, another look to the untouched piles of sand told me that theory was improbable. I rubbed my chin for a moment, gazing hard at the fossils, and then decided.

"Alright, we'll take them! I could probably take them to that Devon fossil researcher in Rustboro, and then if I wasn't supposed to take them… I'll just bring them back here, I guess." I nodded, approving my own idea in Aron's place, and set both of my hands on the fossil closest to me.

Unfortunately, both fossils were jammed in between two huge stones in the center of the room. But I wasn't giving up that easily! Aron joined me, sticking the tip of its head in the gap between the stone and the fossil and trying to pry it out; the rest of my Pokemon then joined me, tugging on either the fossil or me.

With one big pull, we finally got the first fossil out, and I went falling into Mightyena, who then fell into a squawking Combusken, who then fell into poor little Wingull. I shook my head and gazed at the fossil in my hands, grinning.

"Good job, everyone! Now, for the second one…"

Queue the groaning.

Just as I got to my feet, however, there was a faint rumbling noise. My heartbeat picked up and I looked around. _What… what is that?_ The ground, too, started to quiver, and then began shaking, and I looked back towards the rock holding the second fossil; with the first gone, it was topheavy, and before I could even react, the top rock crushed the fossil and fell forwards, bringing with it the colossal pile of rubble it had been holding back. I darted back down the hall without thinking, recalling my Pokemon, and, just as a chunk of the wreckage came wheeling towards me, I leapt out of a small gap in the wall opposite to the rockslide out into the desert.

And then I was freefalling.

I gasped for air, my Go-Goggles having fallen off, only to take in even more sand. The fossil was clamped in my arms and I held onto it for dear life. The world spun; first the ground was below me, and then above me, and I spotted the upper floor of the tower explode, which led to the rest of the walls giving in and crumbling, and then there was a sudden lurch as though I'd hit the ground, but I hadn't felt any impact; and in the midst of everything I blacked out.

* * *

"_C'mon, May, step it up! Haha!"_

_ "'May', huh? I told you not to hinder Team Aqua's plans anymore. It looks like I'll have to do something about you."_

_ "May, you idiot! Why are you getting involved with criminal gangs?! I'm taking your Pokemon so you'll never do something this irresponsible again! Go back to Littleroot!"_

"…!" I bolted forwards and snapped my eyes open.

The room was familiar. It was a Pokemon Center room.

_The tower… the tower, right? Was that a dream? N-no, it can't be… _I broke into a coughing fit, and, ignoring it, reached over to my bag, which was sitting at the foot of the bed. Sure enough, the fossil was sticking out of it. _No… I really did go there, _I thought. _Then… Where am I now? This doesn't look like the Lavaridge Pokemon Center… but it does look familiar._

I pulled myself out of bed and curiously peered out the door. The halls were significantly less new than Lavaridge's. Outside the windows, it was dark; I pulled open my Pokenav, which was still in my pocket, and checked the time. _6AM? It was… around 4PM that I entered the tower, though…_

My curiosity, as usual, got the best of me, and I gathered my belongings, tied up my bandana around my head again, and headed into the main lobby. The Nurse Joy at the desk was dozing, but noticed me heading towards the doors. "Oh! You're up," she commented.

_Hu-uh. I'm getting flashbacks to Lavaridge again… I really should stop blacking out, ahah… _"Yes," I replied. "Um, which Pokemon Center is this? And how… did I get here?" _I _swear, _if a Magma guy carried me here again…_

The Nurse smiled. "This is Fallarbor Town's Pokemon Center. Someone traveling in Route 111 apparently saw you, and called for emergency help, and they showed up here with you at around… 3AM, maybe?"

I looked down, mystified. "Is that right…" _But then… _"Why didn't they take me to Mauville, then…?" _Honestly, now I'm even further away from where I need to be…_

The Nurse shrugged. "I'm not sure. For some reason, the authorities decided to bring you here. It doesn't make much sense, since Mauville City has all sorts of human medical care facilities and Fallarbor really is out in the country… I'm sorry if I'm not much help! But you didn't take much damage, so you should be healthy enough to leave if that's what you want to do."

I was still puzzled, but brushed it off and decided to walk out my dizziness. With a quick thank-you, I hurried out the doors.

The sun hadn't risen yet, and in a town this isolated, one could spot thousands of stars in the sky stretching all around the surrounding area. There were, surprisingly, very few clouds, and only a puff of volcanic ash here and there hung in the waking atmosphere.

A little frustrated, I opened my Pokenav and leaned against the outside of the Pokemon Center. This certainly was an inconvenience. _But maybe…_

My gaze moved to Meteor Falls, which sat on the western side of Hoenn not far from Fallarbor. Memories of the battle between Aqua and Magma flashed back to me. _I wonder how Cozmo is doing… No, I don't have time for that. And the news reporters could still be hounding him. I should go._

I shook my head and hurried off, eyes still glued to the Pokenav. Meteor Falls apparently had an entrance outside Rustboro City, as well. _If that works, it might just be a shortcut, _I thought positively. _It definitely beats going back through Slateport and taking Briney's ship!_

With a new goal in mind, I set off onto Route 114 under the sky's twinkling gaze, new found fossil in hand.

* * *

Meteor Falls was gorgeous, without the ominous atmosphere it'd held the last time I'd been in it.

I stepped further inside, marveling at the stalactites and crystal clear brooks. There wasn't a single trainer in sight, and the only sound was the echoing rush, drips, and crashes of water. Upon entering the enormous chamber I'd found the professor in, I noticed a small light on the far side under a crevice in the stone walls; the exit to Route 115…?

Excitedly, I made my way through the chamber, avoiding sleeping Zubats and accidentally disturbing a Lunatone. A thin layer of water coated the cave floor and splashed as I took each step, so I wasn't exactly inconspicuous. Just as I rounded a corner to retrieve what appeared to be an item, I crashed into something. It wasn't hard enough to be rock, but it certainly wasn't small enough to be any Pokemon living in the cave.

I flinched and stumbled backwards. Gradually, I moved my gaze upwards; huge combat boots, worn out pants, and a flowing trench coat; this person was formidable. He turned around and glanced at me with two weary eyes. My first thought was that someone this old probably shouldn't be hiking alone through a cave; my second thought was that he looked _really, really pissed._

"Oh! I, erm, I'm sorry," I muttered, bowing slightly. "I took a wrong turn."

He only narrowed his eyes further and stepped towards me. I shifted. _Why is he staring me down?!_

"Hm…" the man grunted, scratching his chin. "You're a trainer?"

I hesitantly nodded.

"Well, then… Please take this." The man then picked up a bag sitting a few feet away, pulled out what appeared to be an… egg? and placed it in my arms.

"Err…" I muttered, eyes glued to the egg. "This is a Pokemon Egg?"

He nodded, still unreadable. Suddenly his grainy, deep voice picked up again, echoing off of the cave's walls. "Well, then, I'll be off."

Without another word, the man strode away, heading towards the exit to Route 115. I watched, eyebrows practically reaching my hairline. There was a grumbling off to my left, and I swerved my head around as a massive blue dragon hovered past me without even acknowledging I was there and followed the man outside. I was too stunned to even think about the Pokedex.

"Um," I murmured, looking at the Pokemon Egg. "Huh? Did he just- _what_?!"

* * *

After recovering from the fact that I had just had motherhood shoved on me in the form of an old man's wayward Pokemon Egg, I stumbled out of Meteor Falls onto what was familiar enough to be Route 115. Somewhere in the distance, I spotted Rustboro's skyline. For the rest of the day, I hiked along the coastline, battling trainers here and there as well as holding the egg curiously. I really did have no idea how to care for a Pokemon Egg. Motherhood didn't seem like my thing, even though I'd probably be at the marrying-off age if my father were just a tad more off-the-block and traditional. Furthermore, I had no idea what kind of Pokemon was inside, and though I had numerous fantasies while walking about a powerful Dragon-type like the one that had followed the man out of the cave that could fly me anywhere, I wasn't keeping my hopes up. _Well, at least Professor Birch might find this interesting._

I finally arrived in Rustboro at sunset, and settled down in the Pokemon Center. It was awfully nostalgic. I got flashbacks to my failed battle with Roxanne while walking through the place; luckily, the Nurse Joy wasn't in the lobby and therefore couldn't make a big fuss about my return.

"It's been a long day," I said to my Pokemon team, plus Egg. I pulled the Fossil out of my bag and brushed it off a bit. "I guess I should take this over to Devon Corporation's building tomorrow, since I'm here. So far, it definitely hasn't been worth risking my life for…"

A pang of guilt hit me. _I really am reckless, aren't I…?_

"_Combusken_!" chirped my starter Pokemon. It poked at the egg curiously. I shot up and pulled it away.

"Leave it alone, stupid bird! Jeez…" I placed a hand on it. It was warm, but barely. "I mean, I wouldn't want you to break it, or something."

Combusken only pouted. I took an extra pillow, threw it next to my bed, and set the egg on top of it before slipping under the covers.

* * *

_Ya-aaaawn!_

I stretched my arms over my head once more as I stepped into the small courtyard just outside the Devon Corporations main building. It was still early morning, and the rising sun blanketed the city in a soft, comforting warmth. I glanced around, finding it strange that nobody was out and about yet; Rustboro was a business-oriented city, after all.

"Oh, we're sorry, May!" the woman at the desk told me after I asked about a fossil researcher, exasperatedly. "He's not in today. I'd check the apartment complex on the southern border of the city, though; that's where most of our employees work. Here, I'll give you his business card."

I was disappointed, but mustered up a smile and accepted the item. "Thanks." Just as quickly as I'd entered the Devon building, I left, and started making my way down Rustboro's major streets.

Eventually, I found myself standing in front of a huge skyscraper, standing out among the surrounding buildings not only due to its height but to its design; it was the most contemporary building I'd ever seen, colored entirely in a slate-gray. There was a name engraved above the doorway, but it didn't mention Devon; with a deep breath, I stepped inside.

Sure enough, the inside of the building was packed with people; most of them were young to middle-aged. I approached the receptionist, pulling out the card again.

"Umm…" I muttered. She didn't seem as friendly as the Devon receptionist. "I'm looking for a… L-Lith? Mr. Lith?"

The woman's face scrunched together in irritation. "I'm going to need a room number-"

"Lith? That's my name," came another voice. "Who are you?"

I turned to my right; a man, probably in his 30's, approached me. He had a severe case of bedhead, what with that black hair sticking up on one side, and his glasses were crooked. _He reminds me of that kid outside Fallarbor, _I mused.

"Oh, well, my name's May. I'm not sure if you're who I'm looking for, but, the woman at Devon told me-"

"You're not _that _May, are you?" he asked, eyebrows raising a tad.

I was taken aback. "I… I don't know. Do you work for Devon?"

The man nodded. His glasses fell off, and I stepped back as he hit the ground and frantically picked them back up. "I am," he stood back up, "a researcher there, yes. I'm studying fossil recovery technology."

My hand closed around the fossil in my bag, and I hesitated. _What if this doesn't work…?_

Unfortunately, it was too late for second thoughts. The professor's eyes rounded as he noticed my expression. "You wouldn't happen to have an actual fossil, would you?!"

I gave him a ginger smile and pulled the item out.

"Fantastic!" he exclaimed, snatching it from my hands. "Great! This is all I've needed! It's been a while since I last used it and it's time I finally get a new run in... Come on, my machine is in my room, upstairs- oh, erm, may I?"

I nodded. "Yes, it's fine." _It's the least I can do to repay all the stuff this company's given me…_

* * *

"This is it! My lab!" Mr. Lith made his way through a maze of wires and tubes and papers with all sorts of hard-to-understand algorithms on them until he stood at the head of the machine; it looked almost like a gigantic generator, with all sorts of screens and pipes and cylinders. He plopped down on a stool in front of what looked like an input panel; on its surface was a rainbow of different buttons, along with some kind of glass compartment.

I stood a little ways behind him, keeping my mouth shut as he muttered all sorts of things to himself and fiddled around with the machine. Before I knew it, Mr. Lith had placed my fossil into the compartment. I was about to call out in protest when there was an earsplitting groaning noise, like an entire factory of machines being turned on at once. I clenched my teeth.

"It's working…" I heard Mr. Lith mutter, and then, louder, he shouted, "It's… it's working!"

I waited around two minutes, and then tapped the man on the shoulder, tentatively. "Um, Mr. Lith?"

"Yes?" he asked excitedly, still at work on the control panel.

"How long will this take?"

"Oh, a few hours, at max," he said casually. "You can leave, you know."

I snorted. _A few hours… Don't mind if I do._

* * *

I wandered around the city for a while, filing in and out of buildings and buying lunch, before heading back into the Devon apartment building. From the lobby, I could still hear the distant sound of machinery, so I decided to sit down and finish my food before heading back up into the unpleasant atmosphere.

Combusken, along with the egg, sat next to me.

After a few minutes, a couple plopped down in the chairs next to me and begun talking to each other; from their conversation, absently listening in, I picked up on the fact that both worked for Devon, though one had been working out of Kanto and had only recently moved to Hoenn. I shifted uncomfortably as they chatted about the region as memories flittered about in my mind, distracting me from my food, but remained quiet.

Eventually they got talking about Devon; specifically, the President.

"…You know, speaking of odd jobs, I heard the president used to collect stones in caves."

"Really!" said the other. "That must be how he amassed all of his money, then! Haha!"

"That's probably true. And apparently his son's picked up the same hobby, though that was just a rumor I heard."

"Either way, they must be pretty weal-"

"_May!" _squeaked Mr. Lith, who had suddenly appeared at the stairwell. "Come quickly! It worked! It worked!"

I jumped upwards in surprise. "W-what? Hey, wait!"

* * *

"Uhh… What- what _is _that?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at the small creature sitting dormant in front of the machine, which had now quieted. The Pokemon was incredibly still, and one wouldn't believe it was even living had it not been for the petal-like objects waving about around what I assumed was its face. "It's a Pokemon, right?"

He nodded, black hair getting in even more of a mess. "Not just _any _ancient Pokemon – this is an extremely rare one. It disappeared over 100 million years ago." Lith fixed his crooked glasses again and approached the Pokemon. "Its name is Lileep."

I kept my eyebrow raised. "'Lileep,' huh?" _It doesn't look very dangerous, for an ancient Pokemon._

"_Lileep._" A strange noise came from the Pokemon, almost like a squeak, and to both Mr. Lith and I's surprise, Acid began spraying from its head. I stared in awe, before the scientist tugged me down behind the closest bed to take cover. "_Lileep!"_

I crinkled my nose at the smell that soon filled the room, like some sick combination of sulfur and burned fabric. My gaze moved over to Mr. Lith. "I think you're going to have some trouble cleaning up this- huh?! What are you doing?!"

The man was laughing. Not even laughing, but giggling. "I-I can't help it! I finally resurrected a Fossil Pokemon! It's beautiful! Oh, life is beautiful!"

I let out an exasperated sigh. He was caught up in his own little world... What a weirdo. _Alright, I guess this is my time to step in…!_

Gulping, I pulled out Mightyena's Pokeball and, in one movement, got to my feet, tossed the ball, and ducked down again.

Mightyena exploded from the Pokeball, growling protectively. Lileep's Acid continued.

"Attack it at full force, Mightyena! Bite!"

The Pokemon started off, though as soon as it lept off of the bed, it was caught by one of Lileep's sprays and started crying out in pain. I watched in horror as Mightyena stumbled about, trying to rid itself of the layer of poison coating half of its face and burning its fur; it was when the Pokemon neared a weak-looking spot of the decaying floor that I decided to recall it.

_Okay, that didn't work, _I thought with a frown. _Maybe… _

I tossed out my next Pokeball; Aron. Sure enough, it was the right decision; though the Pokemon's weight could prove a problem if its Take Down attack was aimed in correctly, the steel coating around it protected it from any acidic corrosion, and it landed one powerful attack on the rooted Lileep.

"Good work!" I exclaimed, standing up once more now that the Acid had stopped. "Now give it a Metal Claw!"

Mr. Lith continued fantasizing about his own ingenuity as I took part in an all-out hotel room battle. Lileep's immobility was extremely helpful. Aron, though slow, was able to land multiple Metal Claws on it, to the point where it slouched down and gave up fighting. My hand then found itself grasping a Pokeball.

"Erm… Mr. Lith?" I asked, waving my hand in front of his eyes. He seemed to snap out of it somewhat and gave me a questioning look. "Do you mind if I catch this Pokemon? If not, it might just wreck your whole apartment, once it recovers…"

He gave me another one of his signature enthusiastic nods, and twirled about to look at his prized fossil creation again. "Oh, the President'll give me a raise, for sure! I'm sure he wouldn't want me handing off this thing to some random trainer, but I'd bet my job that you're an exception to that, Ms. May!"

I laughed nervously. "I think you _are_ betting your job, Mr. Lith… Or maybe your life."

He gestured to the Lileep. Taking a deep breath, I threw the ball – a Timer Ball, one of Devon's inventions. It swallowed the little Pokemon. Sweat grew on my brow as I watched it shake; I couldn't ruin the heroic impression Mr. Lith and Devon had of me, as exaggerated as it may have been. After a number of restless seconds, the twitching subsided.

"_Aron!_" cried the little Steel-type, waddling towards the ball and kneading it with its head. "_Ar-aron!"_

"Yahoo!" The scientist exclaimed, running up to me. "Amazing! You can keep it, you can keep it! Just let me scan its data into my machine, for one moment…" He grabbed the ball from me and placed it in a container, and then fiddled around on his computer. "Just a moment."

I sighed and looked around at the mess Lileep had made.

"You know," he said as he typed, "there's only been one other trainer I've restored fossils for – two, actually! And he's quite like you – a good person, if not a little…" I narrowed my eyes as Mr. Lith looked for his words, "cold."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever…"

Moments later his analysis was done and he placed the ball back in my head, giving my shoulder a pat. "Thank you again! And thank you for the work you did for Devon a while back. It's happened so much lately, that Aqua and their scheming – the President's hair is getting grayer and grayer... Well, it's naturally gray, but still."

"There have been other attacks?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Well, yes. Haven't you seen the news, the past few months?"

Frowning, I replied, "No… I haven't. But I might have to catch up, sometime soon…"

* * *

"Thank you, Mr. Lith!" I called out, waving enthusiastically. My other hand clutched the Timer Ball, which, inside, held the fossil Pokemon I'd found in Route 111, Lileep.

Mr. Lith, momentarily pulled from his scientific daze, waved back. "If you find any more fossils, bring them to me ASAP!"

I scoffed under my breath and hurried down the road towards the south exit. Two days was too much to spend here: I had a badge to earn. And secretly, deep down, I was a little excited to visit Petalburg again and see my father.

But nervous, too, I realized, as I trekked along the boardwalk crossing Route 105's lake. I gazed into the clear, mirror-like water below. A recent rainstorm must've raised the water level, as it was lapping at the bottom of the wooden pathway. It made me think of Team Aqua. _If he finds out about them…_

The sun settled down off to my left until it was no longer visible, and, as the night began its takeover, a thick cover of clouds rolled in. I frowned as the moonlight began to dim, making it hard to see where I was stepping. There wasn't any sign of any other trainers out, either, aside from the glow of a few tents further up near the entrance to Petalburg Woods, and the heavy air promised a rainy day tomorrow as I stepped back onto dry ground.

Weariness sunk into my skin as time dragged on, until I found myself back at the entrance to the woods. I turned my head each way; _Petalburg doesn't seem like a good idea, this late at night, and I'm so tired… but if I spend the night here, _at this thought, my eyes swung over to a very familiar looking tree, one I'd rested at on one of my first nights out of Littleroot, _I'm sure to get drenched on the way home tomorrow._

_Home. _The word sunk into my head. I had a strange mix of feelings, thinking about Littleroot and Petalburg; there was comfort, and longing, but also anxiety. In the end, my dragging feet ended up pulling myself beyond the two massive oak trees that marked Petalburg Woods' entrance and into the shadows.

* * *

"U-umm, May…"

A young girl with long, light brown hair, and an expression of concern, stood behind a small car. She pulled a lock of hair behind her ear as she said this.

"Of course!" barked another girl of around the same age, with shorter hair and a confident look. "I'll just hide in the trunk, and then when we get to Goldenrod, I'll run on ahead!" Her smile stretched into a grin. "Plus, if your parents found out, they'd probably let me off without telling my dad, anyways!"

The first girl's worry grew more at this statement, and she mumbled in reply, "Y-your father is very strict, though… He would probably realize you're gone, and then _my _parents might get in trouble, too…"

The second girl paused at this. Her face fell as she thought a way around the obstacle that was her father. A cool breeze, carrying the invigorating scent of the ocean, rustled her hair about. Then, she suddenly jumped up, eyes ablaze. "When I get back, I'll just tell him I was up visiting Old Man Moomoo, or I got kidnapped by Lugia!"

With a tired sigh, the first girl gazed off into the distance, seemingly at a lighthouse; it was hardly visible in the morning fog, and the yellow-white glow at its peak was the only thing distinguishing it from the sky. "M-May… I just… I don't think… T-that this is a good idea."

May's expression sunk again and she stared down at the cobblestone road below them. It was normally a bright gray, but had been darkened by the early showers. The car next to them started up, and a voice came from inside: "Jasmine, what are you doing? Hurry up, now! Don't you want to go see Professor Elm's and Professor Oak's Pokemon presentation?"

Jasmine looked back at her friend. Her solemn look at softened a bit. "I… I was just kidding! You can come, May, j-just hop in the back, I'll distract my parents…"

May smiled, though her enthusiasm had waned. She hurried to the back of the car, climbing onto the back bumper, steadying herself, grabbing the trunk handle, heaving it open…

And suddenly, a voice interrupted her, a deep voice laced with anger.

"What do you think you're doing, May?!"

* * *

I gradually came to, hearing the rustling of leaves followed by a few drops of water hitting my face. They were cold, cold enough to jolt me all the way awake. I gasped at my surroundings; Petalburg Woods. I was propped up against the trunk of a tree, somewhat secluded from the forest's main path. Another gust of wind blew, splashing my face and clothes with rain and dew once more.

_I see… _I thought, gazing up into the rustling canopy to try and get a glimpse at the sky I was sure was gray and heavy. _It was a dream. It's morning. And it's raining._

My gaze wandered back down to the undergrowth. A few feet away, Mightyena was curled up among a pile of leaves; somehow it had picked the perfect spot and its sleek coat of fur was completely dry. _Pokemon senses, huh?_

I walked up to it and knelt down, spending the next few minutes petting the tired Pokemon and absently watching the rainstorm irritate the forest.

* * *

With the storm showing no sign of letting up any time soon, I decided after around an hour to make my way out of Petalburg Woods. _Getting soaked isn't that bad of a problem, _I told myself. _Besides, I can just change into dry clothes once I get to the Pokemon Center!_ Mightyena protested as though it had read my mind and retreated back underneath its tree; however with a little encouragement coming in the form of Sitrus Berries, I had the Pokemon up and running. Prancing out of the forest laughing and purposefully using the fruits to get a generally vicious Pokemon like Mightyena to actually _chase_ me earned a few raised eyebrows from the surrounding newbie Bug Catchers, but it put me at ease and that was good enough.

It was when I stumbled out of the woods and into the open fields of lower Route 105 that Mightyena finally caught up to me, shoving its snout into my hand and gobbling up the berries. But I was too distracted to care; my eyes were trained on the beach a little distance ahead, or, more specifically, the shoreline.

The ocean, which was usually lazy and nonchalant, was instead choppy. It wasn't rough, not nearly as rough as I'd seen back in Johto, but there were some decent-sized waves hitting the shore. I squinted, looking further; sure enough, there were a number of people in the water. _Surfers,_ I thought with a slight snort. They were still so foreign to me. _I bet Brawly is out there, somewhere, today._

The thought of Gym Leaders brought me back to reality, and I marched onward through the rain. Holding out my hand in front of me and sticking out my tongue made the shower seem pretty light, but there was a distinct wind coming off of the sea that tossed pellets of water right into my face.

Mightyena was yowling in protest by the time we reached the entrance to Petalburg City. Even through the clouds and dim lighting I could spot the skyline; it was thin, but recognizable. I gulped. _Dad's in there somewhere…_

My eyes sunk down to the Pokemon at my side. _Am I really ready to battle him? If I lose…_

The thought was unbearable. I squeezed my eyes shut, took a deep breath, and turned away from the city. Mightyena barked and nudged my leg, but I took a step back into the Route, and another, and another…

_I can't risk it. I have to train more._

* * *

It was getting dark by the time I started back towards Petalburg City. My confidence was dampened, like the rest of my attire, and my feet were caked with mud. I pulled off my bandana as I lumbered through the streets, trying to remember where the Pokemon Center was, and wrung the water out of it. I had a bad feeling that my Pokemon were mad at me – I'd given them the most rigorous training session yet, and in bad weather.

"Whatever," I muttered at the thought of it. I soon spotted the warm lights of the Pokemon Center in the distance and sauntered through the automatic doors. The Nurse greeted me, and I might've grunted a greeting back, or might not have; I was too caught up in my own anxiety.

The woman took my Pokemon after I placed the five Pokeballs on the counter and retreated back into the other rooms without another word. I then sunk into a chair near the window of the building, gazing back out at the city; it truly was gloomy, in this weather. The sun and clear sky did it much more glory. I sat there for a while, fiddling around with my Pokenav and beating myself up for not being more careful about it in the rain. Was it waterproof? Eventually I slipped into a nearby vacant room, changed into a dry pair of clothes, and collapsed on a bed to try and collect myself.

_Maybe I should go visit Mom, and just skip the Gym battle entirely,_ I mused. _I'm sure she would be happy to see me and hear about where I've been…_

I then rolled over and glanced at my bag lying on the floor. Leaning against it was the Pokemon Egg. I felt a tinge of regret for keeping it out in the rain for so long and decided to examine it some more.

The texture of the object was surprisingly warm as I picked it up and rested it in my lap. I thought back to any knowledge I had of normal eggs and, after a moment, stuck the item under the covers. "Sorry for leaving you out there, like that, little guy." _I'll run over to Professor Birch's lab after the Gym battle and get the egg checked out…_ _After the Gym battle…_


	20. VS Norman! Hesitation

**A/N: **After beating ORAS I half wanted to integrate the new storyline into this fic, since it was sooo good but after completing Delta Episode I decided not to. I really know what I want to do with the big climatic battle in this fic and I want to keep it that way, and also give the original storyline (without mega evolutions or the huge change to Rayquaza's story, and all that Kalos stuff) some praise since it was good too.

That being said, I might or might not throw in ORAS refs here and there! It's great, how they characterized everyone.

Also, wow. This fic is up to 100k words. I really wanted to trim it down before uploading it but there's only so much I can do, plus I write these stupidly long ANs.

* * *

**Chapter 20 – VS Norman, "A Man in Pursuit of Power!" Part 1: Hesitation**

With my three strongest Pokemon at my side – Combusken, Mightyena, and Aron – I took one last deep breath of Petalburg air before stepping through the Pokemon Gym doorways.

_I remember now. It's meant to look all traditional, like Johto,_ I thought as my eyes adjusted to the lighting. The floor shiny and covered in tatami mats, and all along the wooden walls, there were scrolls and posters with all sorts of quotes on them.

On the wall opposite to me were two doors with small signs hung on each. I stepped forward to read them. _What is this, some kind of puzzle…?_

"Heya, Champ-in-training!"

I jumped at the upbeat voice and twirled on my heel to my left. A man in a green suit was approaching me with a big smile. How did I not see him earlier…? My eyes flicked down to his ID: he was with the Pokemon Association.

"There's two doors here, y'see? The Gym Leader, Norman, likes to test his challengers' battle skill with a little more than simply duking it out with an enemy trainer." He rested an elbow on my shoulder and nodded towards the two doorways.

I followed his gaze, deciding not to tell him I was the Gym Leader's daughter. "Yeah?"

"So, in order to open each door in each room, you need to defeat the trainer. It's a way for Norman to evaluate you. Eventually, your chosen path will lead you…" He waved his hand dramatically and raised his voice, "to the final chamber; the Gym Leader! What do you say? You get it now, kid?"

I gave him a confident grin. "I won't be doing any choosing. I'm going to battle every single trainer in this gym."

The man's eyebrows shot up. "E-every one? Well, that certainly is one way to do it, but… the trainers here are handpicked and all have different skills, you know!"

I tossed my head to the side and pulled out a Pokeball. "Well, then, that's just more practice for me."

"W-w-w-wait!" he stuttered as I readied the ball. "I'm not a trainer! These doors are unlocked!"

I blinked. "Huh? …Oh."

"Y-yeah…" he backed off a bit, sweating nervously. "But, seriously, good luck with your challenge, Champ-in-training."

* * *

As it turned out, most of the trainers in the Gym weren't actually pushovers. I almost lost Aron in my first match and made the decision to switch it out. With Combusken by my side, and no loss of courage, I battled through most of the trainers, picking up lots of tips here and there. While fighting in the 'Defense' room, I had to strategize and not just have Combusken repeatedly attack with Double Kick. I ended up beating the trainer's Zangoose by wearing it down with Ember, and using a newly learned move: Bulk Up. It greatly boosted the Pokemon's Attack and Defense. It didn't enhance Ember's power, therefore, but after seeing how helpful the move was in the fight against the Defense trainer, I began to formulate my battle plan around it.

At last, I took down the final trainer, and healed Combusken with Potions while I was still allowed to. We shared a high-five, and everything seemed like it would turn out okay; however, as I stood back up and faced the final doorway leading into the arena where I would face my father, I couldn't help but hesitate.

Combusken squawked with impatience.

"Y-yeah, okay," I sighed and moved towards the door. It stared back at me. My legs felt weak all of the sudden, and that familiar doubt was swelling up in my stomach-

I swung the door open and strode inside.

Sure enough, there was my father, sitting on the floor, legs crossed. His eyes flicked over to me, and widened, before lowering again. His infamous unreadable expression that just barely made you feel like you were being looked down on. I snorted. _What else is new?_

"So," he began as I took my place at the opposing end of the arena - a simple pit of sand and dirt - "you made it this far. Four gym badges?"

I nodded, and before he could say anything, pulled out my badge case and held them up, keeping a level head. "I'm here to get my fifth."

At this, my father's strict formality lifted a little, and he chuckled. "Well, alright. I am impressed, May. And proud, that you made it this far."

I relaxed. "It… it wasn't easy."

"In any case," his eyebrows lowered, "we should save the stories for after the battle. As excited as I am that I'm actually having a real Gym match with you, I can't go easy on you."

I couldn't help but scoff. "Dad, you wouldn't go easy on me in a Pokemon match even if this was my _one-hundredth_ battle with you."

"You certainly seem confident, May. Very well, then." He casually drew a single Pokeball from his jacket pocket, and sobered. "Earn yourself the Balance Badge!"

"This will be a three-on-three battle against the Petalburg City Gym Leader, Norman, and challenger May, of Littleroot Town!" called the referee from the sidelines. I glanced over to find most of the trainers from the Gym gathered on a set of bleachers to observe. My nerves were set off even more. "Let the battle begin!"

"Combusken!" I called, throwing the Pokeball with all my might.

My father, likewise, called out a Pokemon whom I'd only seen and heard of once before; Slaking. I watched as a massive ape-like Pokemon collapsed – literally, _collapsed_ – on the ground in front of its trainer from the ball, and I gulped. _I-I didn't expect this. Isn't he using Granbull? Miltank, even? What about Vigoroth, those Pokemon that moved with us?_ I opened up my Pokedex with a shaky grip.

_"Slaking, the Lazy Pokemon. Slaking is the evolved form of Vigoroth, and the final form of Slakoth. Wherever Slaking lives, rings of over a yard in diameter appear in grassy fields. They are made by the Pokemon as it eats all the grass within reach while lying prone on the ground."_

I made a face. Lazy _Pokemon! And Dad?! S-something here doesn't add up!_

My father was still quiet, as though letting me have the first move. I gladly took it. _I don't have time to gawk! _"Combusken, stay sharp! Use Bulk Up!"

The Pokemon responded accordingly, powering itself up, while my father watched with a look of scrutiny.

"Now, Double Kick!" I commanded again. My anxiety grew. _Why isn't he attacking me? He isn't going easy on me, is he? Or… is he waiting for me to get close?_

Combusken ran at Slaking with its usual vigor, readying its feet, and…

"Slaking, use Yawn."

The order was casual and unlike my father. Combusken didn't falter at Slaking's attack – which didn't seem like much, as all it did was literally yawn _at _my Pokemon – and slammed its foot into the Pokemon's side again and again until gravity brought it back to the sandy floor.

My optimism quickly deflated. Slaking didn't look half as damaged as I imagined it to be. My father crossed his arms and shut his mouth, as Slaking started rolling about on the ground lazily.

_What's going on?_ I thought. _Why isn't he attacking again? Why is his Pokemon so… disobedient? And Combusken… _I gasped. _…Combusken!_

My Pokemon was in a similar state to Slaking's; slouched over on the ground, snoring. I cursed under my breath and clenched my fists. "Combusken! Wake up, Combusken! Give it another Double Kick!"

The Pokemon remained unresponsive. I let out a hiss of air through my teeth and looked back up towards my father, who was probably disappointed at this point. _Well, at least his Slaking isn't going anywh-_

_Huh?!_

Sure enough, now Slaking, almost as though he had sapped the energy right out of little Combusken, was lumbering towards my side of the field. It was moving on all fours, as slow as a slug, but with each pound that its monstrous hands and feet made, a jolt of fear would run up my spine. Its vacant expression sunk into one of rage – like it was about to punch my brains out. I started calling for Combusken to wake up, again, but it was useless – the Pokemon was out cold.

_ Think, May, think…! _I felt my knees start to quiver. _What should I do…?!_

The sand sunk noticeably under Slaking as it made its way towards my sleeping Pokemon. Its breath was ragged, and it would snort every few seconds. But it was making progress. Time slowed down. I stared down at Combusken once more, and, on impulse, whipped out its Pokeball and called it back.

"…Hm?" my father narrowed his eyes. Slaking paused, watching me closely.

I gulped, pulled out another Pokeball, and tossed it into the field. Aron landed on all fours in front of me, meeting Slaking's dark glare with its determined blue eyes.

The Pokemon then continued its march.

_Get a hold of yourself, May! _I told myself, fingernails digging into my palms through my gloves. "Aron," I called, voice shaky, "Iron Defense!"

The Pokemon's steel armor began shining again as it hardened. _I hope this works…_

"Slaking!" my father shouted. "_Façade_!"

Slaking thundered forwards, eyes glowing, massive form casting a shadow over my half of the stadium. It slammed into Aron before I could even open my mouth to give another command. The tiny Steel-type, despite its unbelievable weight, went flying through the air and crashed into the wall behind me. Chunks and splinters of wood exploded in all directions. I gaped and turned my gaze back to the Pokemon; it was now settling back down in the sand, glancing around as though all of its intense focus had faded and it was now interested in how deep the sand pit was.

There was more shuffling from where Aron landed and I watched nervously as the dust cleared. Aron was still standing, but limped as it made its way back into the arena. That was too close. If I hadn't used Iron Defense… Never mind fainting, Aron would have been severely injured.

Once Aron was back on the field, I began to formulate a new plan. _Façade… It's a Normal-type attack, which means it isn't very effective on Aron. But it still took a lot of damage… _My eyes flicked over to my father, who stood observing with his usual hardened expression. _I'll just have to raise Aron's Defense more, then._

I ordered another Iron Defense out of the feisty Pokemon, and once more, its skin began to shimmer. After around fifteen seconds later, Slaking was still loafing about. I called for another Iron Defense, just to be safe; another fifteen seconds after that, still, the enormous opposing Pokemon was playing about like a child in a sandbox. _What's with this Pokemon? _I thought.

A few seconds after that thought, my father coolly stated the words "Focus Punch." I tensed. _Another physical attack… _And Slaking was moving again. It took quite some time for it to turn a full 360 degrees around, but soon enough the Pokemon was facing Aron and I again, with that same nasty look.

But it would not advance.

I had no idea what Focus Punch did, but it sounded ominous. Aron was still standing its ground, and, with one deep breath, I told it to use one last Iron Defense and brace for the attack. There wasn't much else I _could _do. _If it makes it through this turn, then I can go on the offensive, since Slaking seems to need to rest after using a move…!_

Aron shimmered again. At the same time, Slaking charged forward, catching both my Pokemon and I off-guard. I braced myself. Its fist, now blinding white, reared back and then drilled into Aron's head all in one smooth movement. A wave of sand and heat forced me to turn my head away from the collision, and I heard a small crack. _T-that's…_

I gasped, and in doing that inhaled a good amount of the dust, which brought on a coughing fit. Sweating and feeling a little ill, I forced my eyes open to see if Aron had made it.

_Come on, don't let me down…!_

My vision cleared enough for me to make out the condition of the battlefield, and…

…And in the center of the massive crater, Slaking was towering over a completely exhausted Aron. I gasped again, causing yet another coughing fit. _No!_ I thought as I reached blindly around in my bag for Aron's Pokeball. _No!_

There was silence from the other side of the arena as I recovered and returned the defeated Pokemon to its ball. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to stay strong. _T-the battle isn't over yet…_

However, I failed to realize then that Combusken was still fast asleep, and that my other Pokemon, Mightyena, was no match for a Pokemon like Slaking. Nonetheless, I sent it out, ruthlessly ordering Bite attack after Bite attack as Slaking took its break in between attacks. I couldn't bring myself to look at my father anymore, but I knew, deep down, he was judging my every move; probably with disdain. He could see right through me – I was his daughter, after all. _Then how am I supposed to beat him…?! _Slaking stirred and came back to life after Mightyena's fifth Bite attack, and my agile, yet squishy Pokemon was too close to its opponent to avoid Façade. Mightyena crashed into a different section of the wall and didn't get up after slouching to the ground in front of the crowd of spectators. I felt my eyes watering as I recalled the Pokemon and I clenched them shut, forcing myself into a shell. _It's not over yet… It's not over yet! I still have my starter Pokemon_!

"Go! Combusken!" I shouted with such intensity that I could've managed to wake up the sleeping Pokemon. But I wasn't that lucky, of course.

The Fire-type emerged from its ball in a yellow-orange feathery heap, snoring softly.

I glared at the Pokemon for a few seconds, hoping my desire to win would get through to it, but it was useless. Combusken showed no signs of waking, at all. Slaking recovered quicker, this turn, too, and began closing in on Combusken with a Façade attack.

"_Sla…_" A faint, orange glow emanated from the ape Pokemon.

In pure despair, I stole a glance at my father. His eyes flashed at me before he lowered his head, muttering quietly, "It's over."

With one last squeeze of my fists, I turned away from the battlefield. Behind me, Slaking shifted its feet and charged. I heard a murmuring from Combusken that sounded as though it had woken up, and my heart leaped, but just as I turned back around, I witnessed Slaking's massive body slamming into the little Fire-type.

_It _is_ over, _I thought blankly.

Combusken, skidding face-first through the sand, had hardly come to a stop before I recalled it into its Pokeball and turned to leave without another word. Eyes squeezed shut, I turned and exited the gym, tail between my legs; I couldn't even bear to take one more look back at my father.

* * *

The Pokemon Center was as serene as ever as I stormed inside and up to the front desk. I was a mess. I knew I was. I pinched myself and clamped my teeth together to keep from losing it right in front of the nurse as she took my Pokemon, and then hurried back to my room. I couldn't keep my calm façade anymore; frustration was welling up inside me and threatening to explode, like magma inside of an active volcano. _I can't do this... I can't._ Gently, I shut the door behind me, not even bothering to flick on the lights, and collapsed.

* * *

May froze. _O-oh no! That voice is…_

Two arms closed in around her, picking her up and placing her back on the ground. She struggled. "Dad, I'm… I'm going to Goldenrod City!"

She turned around and met her father's furious glare with an equally powerful look.

"You're not," he stated. "I already _told_ you – you're not going on a 'Pokemon journey', May. Not until you're much older. When will you learn?"

May took a step closer in defiance and crossed her arms. "I am old enough to! Pokemon trainers are supposed to start their journeys anywhere from age ten to twelve!"

Norman's voice grew louder. "Do not argue with me! _I _am going to determine when you're allowed to get your first Pokemon; not you, not your mother – and certainly not your friend and her family!"

"Fine, then!" May stomped her foot. There were obvious tears building up in her eyes, but she scowled and held them back. "I'll just run away, then, and catch my own Pokemon!"

The car behind the two roared to life. Jasmine's family, warily watching the father and daughter's argument escalate out of the mirrors, started pulling off onto the road.

"W-wait!" May called in despair.

Norman looked even more furious. "Saying things like that – that's the reason I won't let you leave! You're a child, May! You're foolish and impulsive, and you're not ready for that kind of responsibility!"

The girl opened her mouth to give another nasty retort, but stopped, knowing her voice would only crack and she'd start crying. She instead strode off back towards downtown Olivine, passing by her father without a single look of acknowledgement.

* * *

Sitting on the edge of one of Olivine's many piers, May sighed, wiping her eyes. _Why should he tell me when I can get a Pokemon? He's hardly even around anymore! Jeez! _The girl's eyes grew more and more intense as her mind went to work. _Staryu, _she thought, hopping off of the railing and scraping the shape of a star into one of the cinderblocks lining the pier with a pebble, _Water-type. Evolves into Starmie, a Water and Psychic-type._

Her hand then lurched in this way and that as she doodled up another shape. _Corsola… Water-type? Hu-uh, I can't remember what it looks like… Darn it…_ The drawing was scribbled out. She then stood up straight and smiled. _All it takes is a fishing rod, right? I'll catch one… and I'll show Dad! I'll battle him!_

With a new plan in tow, May scurried off back towards the entrance to the pier and into the city. Eventually, she came up with a medium sized stick and a length of rope. After finding the two items, she hurried down the coastline some and then began her project.

"I'll just tie this here," she muttered to herself, tightening a knot around one end of the stick with the withered rope, "and… for bait, I'll use…"

May took a step forward, and in doing so, something crunched underneath her shoe. _A can! _Grinning, the girl picked up the discarded cola can and jammed it onto the end of the stick. _There we go! Let's do this!_

Minutes passed, and dusk enveloped the city – not like you'd be able to tell, with the puffy clouds that had now overtaken then entire horizon. May bounced from rock to rock masterfully, having been down the same path dozens of times, until she came to a flat boulder right on the water's edge. The waves had grown some since was on the pier earlier, and lapped at the edge of the rocks as though trying to devour it, but the girl's overwhelming confidence – or, rather, obliviousness – allowed her to stand strong.

"Victory, here I come! Let's go!" May shouted with enthusiasm. She released the makeshift fishing line into the sea. The tiny can floated at the top, bobbing up and down with incoming waves.

Time crawled on. May never liked fishing; it was much too mundane. _But sometimes, patience is needed to accomplish stuff! _She told herself with a nod. _See, Dad? I'm completely patient!_

Darkness blanketed the shoreline as May remained vigilant. She watched the water closely for any signs of movement, aside from the rolling of the waves. Still, nothing. _I'll wait until morning, if I have to!_

It had been almost two hours since she arrived when there was a booming – and familiar – voice echoing across the rocks, and May easily could've mistaken it for the thunder she had also been hearing. Her face crumpled up in irritation.

"May!" shouted her father, standing at the side of the street far up behind her. "What are you _doing_?!"

May peered up at him once, and then stuck out her chin in a pout, turning around.

Norman called out again. "May, that's dangerous! Get back up here!"

"I'm catching a Pokemon!" she shouted back, gesturing to the fishing rod. "Leave me be!"

There was silence for a minute. Norman was taken aback, but soon came to realize what the ordeal was about. "I already told you, _no!_ Not until I say you're ready!"

Anger boiled up in May's stomach as she yelled back, "I _am_ ready! I'm catching a Pokemon! I'm being patient!"

There was a flash of lightning, followed shortly by a clap of thunder.

Norman grinded his teeth in frustration, looking from the sky back to his daughter. "This isn't what I meant! This is too dangerous!"

"Hmph!" May kept her back turned. "Pokemon trainers have to learn to face danger, though! You told me that, too!"

It started to rain, and before either of them knew it they were drenched by the downpour.

"Just come back, already! Your mother is going to be upset with you!" Norman called. He cursed under his breath as the lightning became more frequent. "May!"

Slowly, she got to her feet and turned around. A rebellious glare was cast Norman's way. "…Will you let me fish for Pokemon tomorrow, if I come up now?"

There was a long pause. The lightning picked up, and Norman spotted a monster wave crashing towards the shore. "Yes!" he finally shouted, "I will! Just get up here!"

With one last pout, May started pulling in her fishing rod by the rope.

_Crash! _Another clap of thunder sounded across the city.

Norman shifted in concern. "Just leave the damn thing, May, and hurry! We'll… get you a different fishing rod, tomorrow!"

May looked back up at her father in surprise, hands still clutching the rope.

Up by the roadside, Norman's wife now joined him. "I already told the police," she said. "Is she coming?"

"Hi, Mom!" May said with a big wave. "This is great! Dad said he's going to get me a fishing rod!"

"May!" her mother cried, waving back. "Please, hurry up here! It's not safe down-"

There was a tug at the line, and May's face lit up. "I got one!" She turned away from the rocks and started tugging at the rope, ignoring her parent's calls still. _Finally! I'll get a Pokemon! And Dad's here, which means I can just use one of his Pokeballs to catch it!_

Just as things were looking up – for May, at least – there was a powerful tug from the other end of the line, bringing girl and fishing rod together crashing across the rock and into the water. The calls of her parents were drowned out by the sea water that went rushing around her head.

Norman pulled himself over the railing, navigating the slippery rocks while his wife told him to be careful.

May tried to calm down, but she was struggling horribly. With a yelp of pain that came in the form of a flurry of bubbles, she opened her eyes halfway. Everything was dark. There was no sense of direction. She felt the rope curled around her leg, and hurriedly pulled it off.

Suddenly there was movement in the corner of her eye. Was it the can? Or… was it her Pokemon? Still containing a little excitement, May followed the object as it swam into a single shaft of light flittering down from the surface…

…And realized they were scales. Blue, brilliant scales, glittering in the ocean. _A Gyarados! I got lucky!_ She thought.

However her celebration was soon interrupted by something else grabbing her arm – it felt like… a hand? She closed her eyes as she was torn out of the water and lifted back onto a solid surface.

Norman cursed under his breath some more. May, upset and disoriented, spit out some of the salty water and rubbed her eyes. "O-ouch…"

* * *

…

"…Hm…?"

May wandered down the stairs into the kitchen, now in a clean change of clothes. The taste of salt in her mouth was unbearable, so she filled up a glass with vegetable juice and plopped down on a chair. The rain was still pattering against the roof outside, but inside it was warm and toasty – her mother had turned up the heat more than a few notches after they'd come home soaking wet and freezing cold. What a night, she thought! And a close catch too – a Gyarados!

The sound of a door opening and closing interrupted May's thoughts, and she turned to see her father standing in the doorway, dripping wet. At that same moment, her mother also came hurrying into the kitchen, giving the two of them a wary look.

May remained silent as Norman continued inside, still glaring at his daughter, while saying, "I just checked in with the police and told them it's alright."

"Oh, that's good…" murmured May's mother. She stood back as Norman approached his daughter.

The man was collected, but his eyes said otherwise; May knew her father was furious, and she was slowly, _slowly _figuring out why.

"I-I'm sorry, Dad…" she started. "…No, actually, I'm not! I was doing what a trainer would-"

"No, _you weren't_!" Norman interrupted with a stern glare. "You know exactly what you were doing, and how dangerous, and how idiotic it was, May. You went against my word completely!"

"But-"

"That," he said coldly, "is why you will never become a Pokemon trainer. You're impulsive and rebellious, and you get yourself in trouble – the kind that hurts you, _and_ the people around you."

May shrunk back, setting her glass down on the counter and breaking eye contact. With one last look of disappointment, Norman turned and stalked into another room, trailing water all over the floor. May's mother, who was at a loss of words, looked from her daughter to her husband, and hurried after him, chattering on about damaging the carpet.

* * *

Sunlight flittered in from the Pokemon Center window, right onto my face, as I rolled over. I squeezed my eyes shut further and yawned.

_Morning, _I thought as I sat up and checked my Pokenav. My eyebrows shot up. _Or, more like noon. Eleven thirty… I slept late…_ I slipped off of the bed and changed into a pair of freshly cleaned-clothes, reflecting on the previous day's events.

_That's right…_ I thought as I stared into the mirror placed on the back of the door. What a mess – my eyes were puffy and circled in gray. Not even that shade of blue everyone always went on about could fix how cruddy I looked. _I lost… to Dad…_

Sluggishly, I made my way into the lobby to retrieve my Pokemon, hoping I wouldn't run into anyone who saw or heard about what had happened.

But what kind of luck was that?

"May!"

_That's… Wally?_ "Hey!"

Smiling, the boy approached me at the Pokemon Center desk. "H-how are you?"

"I'm.. fine," I told him, surprised by his appearance. "What are you doing back at Petalburg City?"

He turned away, running a hand through his puffy green hair. "A-actually, I came for the Gym challenge…"

"The… Gym?" _The gym challenge… The gym challenge? Wally?! No way! _"You mean, you already have four badges?!"

He laughed and I could tell the boy was a lot healthier than he was the last time I saw him. "F-five…"

"Five!" I gaped. "I… C-congrats!"

Wally shifted his feet and gave me a shy glance. "I-it's only thanks to you, May. I'm so happy I got to meet Kirlia."

The nurse was taking a while to retrieve my Pokemon, so he and I went over to a table to sit down and talk.

"Anyway, I…" Wally looked down again and started rubbing his hands together. "I… I saw your match, yesterday."

A wave of sorrow and embarrassment washed over me. "You… you did? I wasn't doing too well, was I…? Ahah…" I didn't know what to say. Wally had been so naïve before and now he was an experienced trainer. "I don't know… I guess I was just overconfident, or intimidated since it's my own father. I'm just… I don't know, with all that's happened, maybe it would've been better if I hadn't become a trainer."

"Well, I just wanna say, May…" he was still struggling with his words, but I listened intently – I'd come to realize that though Wally was quiet, when he did speak, it was always something worth hearing. "I hope you don't get too discouraged from this… As bad as it was, there's always something you can learn from a loss. That's what you taught me, May. And he may be your dad, b-but he's just like all the other Gym Leaders. He has strong points and weak points." Suddenly Wally lifted his head back towards me and stared, eyes wide in determination. "You're not the kind of trainer that would just give up here, right? You're like me! We've got a whole 'nother three gyms ahead of us! Think of your Pokemon! Don't let them down! That's why you've gotta challenge him again, and this time stay confident!"

The trainer stopped and started taking deep breaths. "S…sorry! I just had to say that! I was… huff! I was up all night thinking about how to word it!"

I grinned at him and then started to laugh. Wally gave me a confused look. "M-May! Are you okay!?"

"It's nothing, Wally! It's just – I never expected you to say something like that. You're such a good person." Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that the nurse had brought out my Pokemon, and I patted the boy on his head before heading back over to the desk.

He still looked dumbfounded as I took my Pokeballs and headed back towards the door. "S-so are you going to challenge Norman to a rematch…?"

I flashed him another toothy grin and nodded. "You bet!"

* * *

"Slaking…" I murmured to myself, reading up the Pokedex's entry on the Pokemon and absorbing as much as I could. "Truant – it has to take two or three turns after each attack to recover…"

Combusken sat at the side of the bed, playing with the egg absently. Aron was on the windowsill in the sunlight; it was still in pain from the Slaking's attack, and I pinched myself for being so reckless. The Steel-type definitely wouldn't be able to battle when I challenged him again.

_I can't lose a second time. I know his strategy, and I know at least one of the Pokemon he'll use… _With one look back at Combusken and the egg, my confidence was renewed. _I _will _beat him!_

* * *

**A/N: **Wally technically doesn't show up here in RSE, only ORAS, he's here anyways because tbh he hardly appears in RSE and he's one of my faves.

Poor May! I'll save the rambling about their family stuff for next chapter but she's got some issues there. I forgot to mention this earlier, but in the flashbacks May is probably 10-11.


	21. VS Norman! Determination

**A/N: **So, we're coming up on a sort of "halfway" point. Yeah, finally. Nothing too significant about it except that now things with Aqua start to intensify (duh) and we start seeing the other characters a lot more often. (yiss)

(also quick apology for any weird grammar mistakes, I try to reread these for errors as much as possible and there's always something I miss! It's especially embarrassing seeing them in early chapters, which is part of why I'm also going back and revising those.)

* * *

**Chapter 21: VS. Norman, "A Man in Pursuit of Power!" Part 2: Determination**

Matt lumbered into his superior's office, re-tying the Aqua bandanna around his head. On foot, the journey back to the base had taken more than enough time. And sweating. And avoiding cameras. He'd just had his first shower since the operation at Mt. Chimney, and felt fantastic. Unfortunately, being called up by Archie meant that feeling might or might not last. "What's up, boss?"

The man was seated in his chair, as usual. His hands were folded beneath his chin, eyes two dark, calculating slits, lips curved in a barely-noticeable smile. After a few seconds Matt's words seemed to register with him and he sat back, reverting to his normal, carefree self. "I have a question, Matt. Go ahead n' sit down."

With a nod, the large man lowered himself into one of the office's three chairs. As usual, Shelly and Amber were seated on either side of him.

"All of you…" Archie began, "what do ya think of that brat?"

The admins immediately exchanged glances. Amber was the first to speak up. "She must be eliminated, sir. I _tried_ to do this in Slateport, before she could get any more obtrusive…"

The Aqua Leader's eyes flashed at his subordinate and the smaller man quickly sunk back. He already knew what Amber thought. His concerns lied primarily with Matt and Shelly.

"Erm…" Matt leaned to his side in the chair, fiddling with the towel hanging around his bare neck. "Ta be honest, I didn't really care at first, Boss. But after she ruined our plans at Chimney, I 'on't see why you ain't seething. She really ruined it for us back there."

Archie crossed his arms and he looked out the window at the ocean, face unreadable. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he chuckled. "Chimney is nothing if our intel about the Weather Institute is true, Matt. But that kid is still pretty damn strong." He turned back to his desk, face contorting, and began tapping on the mahogany repeatedly with one large finger. "It's just our luck. We get one off our back and gain another. Magma doesn't have to deal with shit like this – but then again, they've been working behind the scenes like the rats they are."

"I have yet to encounter the girl," Shelly began, catching the attention of her colleagues, "but I can tell you now, sir, that should she appear during our operations at the Weather Institute, I'll be more than happy to put her down for your sake. My plans are already in the stage of perfecting. All we need to do now is get the team together and make for Route 119."

Archie nodded warmly at the woman's words of reassurance. "Great. But I have better news – news that'll hopefully let us get rid of that problem for good before your task force takes a step outside the base." He placed one hand on the black telephone sitting on his desk and grinned. "I just had a talk with that asshole, Maxie."

All three of the admins gasped. "What is he-"

"Long story short, we had some… 'Magma-Aqua negotiations'. And…" Archie cast a quick look at the clock. "Littleroot Town."

Amber and Matt gave their boss questioning looks, while Shelly simply sobered and crossed her arms.

"How were they able to find that out?" questioned the woman, more to herself than to her boss.

The Aqua Leader shrugged and crossed his arms on the table, which was still covered in papers. "Like hell if I know. Creeps me out. But I got an idea, Shelly, and I'm gonna let you handle it."

It was a shame it'd come to this, the man thought – he wished _no one _was screwing up his plans anymore so he wouldn't have to keep going out of his way and wasting his admin's time. But he was done underestimating problems. And Maxie had convinced him that this was one not to be ignored. The man assumed his adversary's words had been a desperate attempt to get Aqua to stay out of his way in whatever that operation he mentioned in Mossdeep would be. But either way, he'd considered them and agreed. At the rate they were going, it couldn't be much longer than a month – at the most, two – for their plan to be complete, so whatever Magma was planning in the islands, it didn't concern Archie. The trainer, though – this was a problem that couldn't be left unchecked. If simple words and threats couldn't stop this bratty teenager, then something that hit home definitely would.

Letting out a satisfied puff of air, Archie folded his hands back up and started to give Shelly the details of her mission.

* * *

The Gym advisor, still in at his post, gave me a thumbs up as I moved through the first doorway. I wasn't just confident this time. I was aware, and I was ready. Being well-rested probably had something to do with this new feeling of certainty, since I hadn't spent the last six hours training in the rain like the previous night – a mistake I wouldn't make again.

The final door creaked as I opened it. Combusken was walking at my side, unusually mellow. As I entered the arena room, I noticed a few workers, along with two Vigoroths, fixing the wall where Aron had destroyed it, and they flinched as I strode past them. _Vigoroth… That's related to Slaking and Slakoth too, isn't it? I should be on guard…_

"Welcome back, May." The sturdy voice of my father emerged from the other side of the arena. He'd been sitting and talking to someone in the sidelines – was that… Birch?!

"Hiya, May!" the professor waved with a big grin. "Norman caught me while I wasn't doing field research. And guess who else was in town!"

With his usual enthusiasm, Birch gestured to the bleachers where Brendan was sitting, grinning and waving. "Give 'em hell, May!"

If I were older, I'd probably have grown at least four gray hairs in that moment. _At least he missed the first match._

My father turned to me. I could tell he was already sizing me up, judging me, trying to read me… "So, then, a rematch?"

I nodded, taking my place at the challenger's half of the stadium. Already, there was a wave of tension flooding the room. _Stand tall, May! You can do this!_

Combusken took its place in front of me and readied its battle stance. My father threw out his Pokeball, releasing the same Pokemon he'd used in our first fight; Slaking.

"Very well," his voice echoed through the room. "Show me your true fighting spirit, May! Give me a good battle!"

I met his gaze; those eyes were the same ones that told me those words so many years ago: _"You're a child, May! You're foolish and impulsive, and you're not ready for that kind of responsibility!"_ A fire exploded to life inside me, burning off of the embarrassment and anger I'd felt during that time; being lectured in front of a friend and their family, being told I wasn't ready when I was at the average Pokemon training age, even the despair of losing that Gyarados on that day… and losing in front of Wally. All of it fueled my desire to win.

I wasn't sure if my father saw this in me or not, but whatever the case was, he gave me the first attack, once again.

"Combusken!" I yelled. "Attack!"

And my plan began. Combusken charged at Slaking, just like the previous night, at full speed. My father ordered Slaking to use Yawn, and it opened up its maw, readying the move just as Combusken leaped up and readied Double Kick…

"Now, use Dig!"

The Fire-type switched directions midair. It drilled into the sand beneath it, and, though Ground-type moves were not necessarily Combusken's specialty, it managed to avoid Slaking's Yawn attack.

_Which means, _I thought with a smile, _Slaking will be resting for two turns._

As soon as Slaking began… slacking, Combusken reemerged directly behind it and attacked. I'd told it earlier that it needed to have quick reaction time, and it seemed to understand, because right as I ordered its next attack – Double Kick – the obedient Pokemon jumped into action. Dozens of times, Slaking was pelted, and it couldn't do anything about it due to that ability. I had Combusken continue its attack until the Normal-type finally roused and was ready to attack again.

"Get back! Combus-"

"Façade, Slaking!" My father yelled with intensity.

I flinched as Slaking rammed into Combusken at close-range, but had faith in the little Fire-type, for it was also a Fighting-type. Sure enough, my Pokemon turned in midair and landed back on its feet. As expected of Slaking, the attack did a great number on Combusken. _But he's not out yet, _I thought, _which means…_

"Get in close range, and hit it with an Ember, Combusken!" I ordered.

"_Bus-ken!_" The Pokemon understood clearly and put in a great effort to sprinting towards Slaking again, using all of the time given to us by its laziness. Bright red orbs of fire formed at the Pokemon's beak, and, with a squawk, Combusken released its attack. The firepower was amplified by Blaze – I'd only recently come to realize the true power of a Pokemon's ability. _And not to mention Truant – that's his weakness. _Slaking cried out in pain, but just wasn't heated up enough to strike back, giving me another chance to attack. With a great yell from me, and a great squawk from Combusken, Slaking was showered in a flurry of kicks and flames.

When the Fire-type finally cooled down and paused in its onslaught, Slaking, with one great yawn, rolled over onto its back.

My eyebrows shot up. _Does that mean its out?_ I looked at my father; his jaw tightened, but sure enough, he took out the Pokeball and returned Slaking.

I fought back a huge whoop at my victory instead crossed my arms. Combusken, on the other hand, came parading up to me, collapsing just as it reached the edge of the sandpit. Letting out a small laugh, I called Combusken back to its ball, even though it still had some energy. "Take a rest, for now, you stupid bird."

Silently, my father called out his next Pokemon. I had been right when I'd seen the one fixing the wall – it was a Vigoroth. I flipped open the Pokedex:

"_Vigoroth, the Wild Monkey Pokemon. Vigoroth is simply incapable of remaining still. Even when it tries to sleep, the blood in its veins grows agitated, compelling this Pokemon to run wild throughout the jungle before it can settle down."_

On the sidelines, Professor Birch lit up and nudged the people next to him. "You see that?! That's my Pokedex, ahahaha!"

_It's hyperactive like that, huh…? _I thought, eyeing the creature. _So, if I can slow it down or keep it still, it might be at a disadvantage. _The edge of my lips just barely curved up, and I tossed out a Pokeball – one I hadn't had on hand for a while. In a burst of light, a small, angular silhouette of a Pokemon materialized in front of me: Sableye. Birch started nodding on the sidelines; I'd taken it out of storage just this morning after a short conversation with him on the phone.

My father set his hands on his hips and narrowed his eyes before taking the first move. "Vigoroth, use Slash!"

The simian Pokemon zipped forward at a much greater speed than Slaking. It was a blur of white – the fact that this thing was even _remotely _related to Slaking and Slakoth was amazing. One of its huge claws began glowing in preparation for an attack; however, I was expecting a physical fight.

"Dodge, Sableye!" I exclaimed. Sableye darted to the side just as Vigoroth closed in on it, as though it were a bull, and snickered as its opponent's attack sunk into the ground. "Now, use Flash!"

The Pokemon sobered, and its eyes began glowing in the same fashion they had back in Granite Cave. Vigoroth spun around and targeted its prey again, and, despite my father calling desperately for it to look away or close its eyes, fell victim to the attack.

"_Roth! G-graaah!"_ the Pokemon cried. Its claws flew up to its face and began rubbing relentlessly at its eyes, which were now clamped closed. "_Vigoroooth!"_

Sableye then began raking its claws down the Pokemon's exposed belly in a nasty Fury Swipes attack, causing it to yelp in pain once more. This went on for some time, until Vigoroth began flailing helplessly and I was forced to pull back.

"_Vigoroth!" _the man shouted, voice as sharp and piercing as an arrow. The Pokemon was cut out of its daze and snorted. "Don't let it escape you! Use Encore!"

_Encore? _I gasped. _What's…?_

Vigoroth began glowing, until its entire coat of fur was a shimmering white.

"Stay on guard, Sableye!" I warned.

Suddenly, the glowing around Vigoroth amassed into one single disc of energy, which flew right at my Pokemon and dissolved around it.

But Sableye certainly didn't look injured.

I frowned. _What _was _that? Did it poison Sableye? Will it put it to sleep?_

Sableye tottered and fell into the sand. _Or, is it confused? …Well, I don't have time to just predict! _"Hit it with another Flash!"

The Pokemon seemed to receive my words, at least, and got back to its feet, but instead of charging up the specified attack, Sableye ran towards Vigoroth at full speed. It pulled back one arm, and its claws began to shine, almost like it was using… _Fury Swipes?_

"Wait, Sableye!" I shouted. "F-Flash, not Fury Swipes! Sableye!"

It was useless. The Pokemon closed in on Vigoroth, and, almost like the energetic Normal-type was _mimicking _my previous moves, it swerved out of Sableye's way.

"Stop, Sableye!" I called, and did so for the next full minute; not matter what I said or did, however, the Pokemon continued slashing relentlessly, and Vigoroth kept dodging. Its claws zipped through the air with each strike, making an unnerving whipping noise. My father was definitely showing off his Pokemon's acrobatic abilities. _So then, Encore must have… made Sableye only able to use Fury Swipes…?!_

"_Eye! Sableye!" _My Pokemon lunged at Vigoroth two more times, still unsuccessful. _What do I do, what do I do…?_ My fingers closed around Sableye's Pokeball. _If I leave it in the battle, then it'll get too exhausted… But… Maybe, Combusken could finish it off…?_

I was practically swimming in doubt as I called back the hypnotized Pokemon. Vigoroth immediately began jumping in place and pacing as though waiting restlessly for its opponent to return. I gave an uneasy look at Combusken's Pokeball in my left hand, hoping it would be able to take on the Pokemon in its condition, and called it out.

"Vigoroth, use Slash!" My father began as soon as Combusken emerged from its ball.

"I know you're tired, Combusken, but please hang in there!"

The Pokemon's little yellow head turned towards me and nodded.

"_Dig!"_

Vigoroth's Slash slammed into the sand once again, sending it spraying everywhere, and it cried out in frustration. I'd barely given the command in time. But I still had no plan, and the Fire-type only had a limited amount of time underground before it had to resurface again. To make matters worse, resurfacing Dig left it momentarily vulnerable; my father would definitely pick up on this.

It seemed to be a race against time until I remembered the Pokedex entry:

"_Vigoroth is simply incapable of remaining still."_

"Still…" I murmured to myself. "Still… Still! _Combusken!_ Resurface underneath Vigoroth!"

My father seemed to lose more of his cool as the ground beneath his Pokemon began to sink. He called for it to move out of the way, but Vigoroth was distracted by the sand and began digging into it with Slash attacks as though hunting its prey.

I smiled.

With one tremendous hit from Vigoroth, and Combusken's own Dig move, the substance rapidly engulfed the panicking Vigoroth until its head was the only thing above ground. Combusken then popped up a little ways away and shook its feathers free of the sand, cooing in irritation.

"_Roth! Vigoroth!"_ the Normal-type cried. It struggled, but was unable to properly pull itself out alone. Combusken, without orders, let out another wild Ember attack, scorching the Pokemon's head and causing it to faint from exhaustion.

"What…" my father's mouth hung open as he recalled his Pokemon. "Oh, I see… The Flash attack…"

_Huh? Flash? _I thought. _W-wait… did it… keep Vigoroth dizzy enough so that it couldn't react properly to Dig?_

My father sent out another Slaking, but I barely noticed, too busy gloating over my own ingenuity. _That was great! For improvising, I mean! _I set my gaze on my father's last Pokemon and went to work once again._ Time to finish this._ _Combusken is weakened… Sableye should be recovered, but it isn't strong enough to take down Slaking alone… The battle may come down to Mightyena's strength, then… _I cringed as I remembered the previous fight, and how the poor Dark-type had gotten knocked out in a single hit. _If only I had…_

"_Aron! Ron!"_

I blinked and twirled around towards the doors; a tiny, white hunk of metal was bouncing through them. "A-_Aron?_ What…"

The Pokemon continued barking furiously as a gym trainer ran in the same door, looking flustered. "N-Norman, sir, this Pokemon just ran in, we don't know… how it…"

My father's eyes narrowed. "I won't go any easier on you, May, even if you do choose to use an injured Pokemon. What is your choice? Will you listen to your partner's determination?"

I stared down at the Steel-type. The crack on the top of its skull was very distinct, and if Slaking hit that same weak spot a single time, it would surely cause irreparable damage to the poor thing. On the other hand, Aron was trembling with anticipation, and it was impossible to tell its big, confident blue eyes 'no'…

"Aron," my voice was stern, "get out there."

"_Aron!_" The Pokemon cheered happily and dove into the sandpit.

I took a deep, shaky breath. This wasn't part of my plan, and there was no telling what could happen. I'd have to wing it. Mightyena was now no longer a choice, either, as I saw the empty Pokeball symbol on the small display to the right of the arena disappear and an Aron icon take its place. But the courageous Steel-type was one of my strongest Pokemon, so I stood aside it and had faith.

"_Slaking!_" the powerful voice of my father boomed across the room once more, "Slack Off!"

I gaped as the enormous Pokemon lay down on its back as though it were about to fall asleep. _What kind of attack is that? Whatever it is, there's probably some hidden potential… _My eyes moved down to Aron. _But, if that was its move, then that means I have a window of opportunity, now!_ "Aron! Metal Claw! Hit it with your all!"

The puny thing charged forward and readied the attack it had used so many times that it could be called a signature move. Things were looking up as it tumbled towards Slaking, as its claw came down on Slaking and cut through it… as Slaking… _vanished?_

My Pokemon and I were equally surprised as the Metal Claw chopped through nothing but air.

"_Faint Attack!"_

Slaking suddenly appeared behind Aron. Its face held that familiar, scrunched look of rage, and Aron squeaked in terror as it was smacked all the way back to my side of the battlefield.

"_Aron! _Are you okay?!" I stepped forward, and stopped myself. _No! May! Focus!_

The tiny Pokemon pulled itself back up after a few seconds. "_R-ron…"_

Just then, a gasp escaped my lips._ What…_ The tiny spike on Aron's back was… glowing? _Is this… _My heart beated faster and faster. _Evolution?!_

Step by step, Aron advanced, back still shining. Slaking, having just attacked, slumped back down to the ground and shut its eyes as its ability came into effect. My heart beat faster still as I watched Aron pick up speed until it was running towards Slaking. _If it was evolving, it wouldn't be moving, would it? Then is this…_ I gasped. _A new attack?!_

Aron was now charging forward, calling out as if it were still in pain from Slaking's Faint Attack, and once close enough, took one tremendous jump into the air. Then, still without any command from me, it spun around and brought the glowing spike – no, I realized then, it wasn't glowing anymore; it was instead a reflective, dark gray – slamming down into Slaking's exposed gut. In turn, the enemy Pokemon's eyes flew open and it sat up with a yelp of pain, clutching at its stomach. Aron maneuvered backwards and landed on its feet a safe distance from Slaking. The Normal-type shivered violently, once, before crashing to the ground like a fallen oak tree and lying there, unmoving.

For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence.

"Is it… over?" I heard someone from the sidelines mutter – was it Brendan?

The room was dead still for a good thirty seconds more, before my father drew out a Pokeball and called Slaking back. The referee, in turn, held up both arms: "Gym Leader Norman is out of usable Pokemon! May of Littleroot Town is victorious!"

I lit up and fell to my knees to have my usual reunion with my team. Aron ran back over to me, barking happily, and Combusken popped out from its ball, too, nearly tackling me in the middle of the battlefield, and I went along with it until I felt my father's cold gaze boring down on me.

"I… I can't believe this…" he muttered to himself. "May… defeated me…?"

He then began descending into the sand pit.

I sobered and got to my feet. "Dad..."

My father eased his expression, to the point where there was actually a small smile on his face. "Don't bother. Just take these."

Two objects. The badge, and a TM. As usual. I swallowed so as to keep myself from jumping in joy, and took both items, flipping the badge around in my hand. It was shiny and white – a neutral color, just like the typing of the gym.

He crossed his arms again and scoffed. "Well, you earned it, May. What can I say? Rules are rules. That's the Balance Badge."

_The… Balance Badge,_ I repeated in my head, going into a trance for a minute. "Thank you."

He nodded. "Officially, it raises your Pokemon team's Defense, and also lets you use the HM for Surf outside of battles." A hand was then placed on my arm, and I looked up. "But it's also a gift. I can tell you've worked hard, and as both a Gym Leader and as your father, I'm telling you that your power and aptitude in battling earned you that badge. And the TM is Façade; the move I used against you, during both battles." He paused, turning to the side and gazing up at the scoreboard before continuing; "I knew you weren't prepared on your first battle, May. Don't push yourself too hard, or you'll suffer the consequences. That's the lesson of this gym match."

I nodded, still feeling a little humiliated. "Yes. I understand."

"…Nonetheless, you still learned from your mistakes and outsmarted me in our second battle. That's impressive, May. Façade's power increases when the target has a status condition, such as Paralysis or Burn. I'm trusting that you'll learn to unlock its true potential."

I clutched the TM tightly in my hand. "I will."

He let out an easy chuckle and glanced over to the other side of the arena, where Professor Birch was chatting with a few of the other trainers. "I'm sure the feeling of defeating your father in battle is much different from the feeling of having your daughter defeat you in battle, May. I'm disappointed in my abilities, but I'm also proud of you."

I blinked. "I… Thanks, Dad. For letting me get a Pokemon, I mean. It's been unforgettable, and fun – oh, and, er, very humbling, too."

Suddenly, one of the gym's doors opened yet again, and in marched a familiar man. His gaze met mine and he seemed relieved, all of the sudden. I tried to recall where I'd seen him before… a trainer? No… this was… _Oh! That's Wally's father!_

"May!" he exclaimed, rushing up to me. "I heard you were in town! Oh- I'm sorry, Norman. Could I borrow your daughter here for a minute? I… I'd just like to discuss something with her, and… and I have a gift, too."

He seemed awfully shy about it. My father waved it off. "Go ahead, its okay. I hope Wally is healthy. I had an excellent gym battle against him the other day."

The man bowed. "Thank you. Please, May, come next door with me for a minute."

* * *

Before I knew it, I was in Wally's old house. His mother smiled at me as I entered.

"Again, I- we're – just so sorry for interrupting your battle, May, it's just…"

Wally's father began laughing, wiping a tear from his eye. "Wally… Wally is in such good health now, compared to before. He's in town – I don't know if you've seen him yet – but it's amazing, honestly."

"I just talked to him yesterday. He really has gotten a lot more confident," I replied, shifting my feet.

"Oh, and he mentioned you so much, May. I don't know if you've realized this yet, but you've become quite the role model for him. He told me he's excited to watch your 'conquest' of the gyms." The couple shared an easy chuckle.

I blushed. _Conquest?_ "Well, I impress _someone_, at least!"

The man went on. "Anyways, Verdanturf's clear air has certainly helped with his health, but I think happiness has too, May. You helping him catch that Pokemon of his a while back, and then visiting him and calling him – he's been staying positive lately, and just enjoys being around Pokemon so much, and our whole family would just like to thank you for being a good friend to him."

"Yes, Wally's always had such trouble with making friends. It's so good to see him this happy," added Wally's mother.

I was speechless. I could see where the man was coming from, but this was just plain reverence. "O-oh, you're exaggerating," I muttered with a giggle, rubbing the back of my neck. "It's just what anyone else would do…!"

"Anyways, since you just got the Balance Badge, we decided we wanted to give you this." His wife walked up holding what I recognized as a TM. I hesitated, but they encouraged me to accept it and after a second I did. It shone a soft, bright blue in the light. A Water-type move, no doubt.

"That's the HM for Surf," said Wally's mother. "It'll help you travel, and get to other Hoenn cities to battle gyms. If you didn't realize this already, a good portion of our region's in the ocean!"

I thanked them countless times, shocked at the amazing gift I'd received, and then, thinking of the boy, decided to go look for him – and maybe brag about the battle.

* * *

**A/N: **Plot twist warning next chapter. Nothing is ever easy for poor May.

Also, a question for readers! Like I said, Wally and Brendan are here despite only showing up in ORAS. They really upped the characterization in the remakes so I thought I'd include that anyway. Considering the recent reviews I've got, I was thinking about adding the scene with Latios/Latias, but I'm iffy about it since, again, it wasn't in the originals. Obviously May wouldn't be getting a Key/Mega stone and Latias wouldn't just (immediately) join her main team, and I think it'd be weird since now that ORAS is out Matt's character is very off, but what do you guys think?

If you'd like to see it included, or you think I should stick to the original plot, say so. It'd just be cute filler but I think it'd be fun to write. Thanks for reading!


	22. Identity Revealed

**A/N: **Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays! To celebrate the spirit of love and caring, here's a long and angsty chapter about May's severe family problems.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 22 – The Mystery Crime-Fighting Trainer's Identity, Revealed?!**

The midday sun lit up the colorful suburban streets of Petalburg as I made my way back over to the Gym. Wally was nowhere to be seen, so I made a mental note to call him up later and check in. With a new HM in my pocket and a new badge in my case, my hopes were high. I rounded a few corners, dodging some big puddles, and found myself once again on the small earthy path that led to my father's building. He was outside, speaking with Professor Birch and Brendan.

"Yo, May!" The boy called as I approached. "That was some battle!"

I chuckled. "I know, I know. Do you already…?"

Brendan pulled out his badge case in an instant and held it up. Just as I thought – five, all shining in the sunlight. It only made sense – he'd probably gotten back here far before I had.

"Nice," I remarked. "So, what are you still doing here?"

Birch joined in on our conversation with a friendly smile. "I was planning on herding you two back to the lab so I can check in on your Pokedexes! And we could all have dinner together!" He nudged my father. "That is, if the lady's willing to cook!"

The man looked away, almost bashfully. "I'm sure she'll be happy to. We haven't had company in a while."

"…Oh, that's right, Professor Birch. I have this… Uhh…" I rummaged around in my bag as the three of them stood there expectantly and then pulled out the Egg. "This. It's a Pokemon Egg, right?"

Wide-eyed, the professor nodded. "And a weird variant, at that! Look at that color!" He took it from me and started to inspect it, turning in around in his hands, tapping the surface. "We'll have to examine it further in the lab! This is an interesting find!"

Brendan raised an eyebrow and stuck out his lower lip. "I didn't know you got a Pokemon Egg, May. Where'd ya find it? Day Care? I never pegged you as the kinda gal interested in Pokemon breeding."

"Actually, I…" Hesitation. _Should I tell them about that man…? That'd be pretty hard to explain… _"I got it on the way here. I… found it."

Both of the Birches nodded, while my father gave me a quizzical look, like he knew I was lying. I cleared my throat and shoved my hands in my pockets. "Anyways, I have to stop by the Pokemon Center before we head home. My team is pretty beat up…"

Birch glanced up from the Egg and suddenly thrust the object into Brendan's arms. "Alrighty! Brendan, you go ahead and run this back to the Lab. And if you can, try and help out May's mother with preparing the dinner!"

"'Kay," the boy replied with a shrug, nonchalantly holding the egg in one arm and picking his bag up off the ground with the other. "See ya later!" With that, he was jogging off towards the city, sock-hat bobbing up and down with each step.

"Don't drop it!" I found myself calling.

He turned his head back for a second, giving me an incredulous glare, and moved his body so that the Egg started to slip. I was about to shout out in protest again before the boy caught himself and waved the thing back and forth in the air, cackling. "Yeah, I'll be real careful!"

* * *

Birch and my father continued chatting while I left them, heading back to the Pokemon Center. I took my time – for once I actually felt like I could relax. After the event at Mt. Chimney, Team Aqua was more or less out of the way, and I was caught up to Wally and Brendan as far as badges went, and to make everything even better, I'd settled things with my father. _Yeah – this is a new day!_ I stretched and paused at the side of the road to glance at my reflection in a pond. No more grim, gloomy scowl, no more sunken eyes or gray circles. This was it – where my normal, _true_ journey would begin.

With a big grin on my face, I dropped off my Pokemon and stocked back up on supplies at the Pokemart across the street. My stomach grumbled as I settled down at a table in the Center's lobby, so I heated up a bowl of instant ramen and chowed down. _Nothing too big before dinner, _I thought, heart warming with feelings of nostalgia. _Mom's cooking is the best._ _Hopefully Brendan won't mess it up!_

By the time I finished eating the sun was drifting through the blinds, casting streaks of yellow across the glass tabletop. I stretched again and let out a long yawn before laying my head in my arms. _I could get used to this eternal-summer thing, _I sleepily said to myself before dozing off.

* * *

After some time I was roused awake by the nurse and handed my Pokemon. The sun was still up, so I couldn't have slept long. I flipped open my Pokenav and gave my father a call; the three of us were to meet at the east end of town.

The following hour slipped by quickly. As the three of us made our way across Route 102, Oldale Town, and eventually Route 101, Birch talked nonstop about 'the good old days' and their childhood. Apparently, my father had always been a big battler, ever since he was in grade school. Birch, on the other hand, was interested in Pokemon themselves. So when he wanted to learn more about a certain Pokemon, he'd have his good pal Norman come in and either catch it, or beat the living hell out of it. He tended to do the latter.

"Yep, by the time we were your age, May, I was a rookie trainer and working part-time for Professor Oak, and your father here was a hardcore fighter! And that's how your parents hooked up, too. Did I ever tell you that, Norman? Boy, she was head over heels for you at first sight. She called me a few nights after you guys first met and confessed to everything! How did she word it…? 'His fierceness is out of this world'…? I can't remember!"

Off to my right, there was a hiss, like he'd sighed through his teeth.

Birch ignored this and continued, running ahead of us and turning around to face me. "Oh, and that's just the beginning of it, kiddo. Let me tell you about your old man – he was completely smitten. But he was only good at battling, so when it came to seducing your mother-"

"That's enough! _Birch!_" my father's voice boomed across the meadow, scaring off a few Pokemon. "How about I tell Brendan embarrassing stories about _your_ romance shenanigans?"

The professor chortled. "Go ahead! I've already told him everything- whoa!" A root took hold of the man's sandal and he went plummeting backwards into the grass. "Oof!"

My attention drifted as the two carried on in their bickering. Littleroot was visible in the distance, a warm, amber glow among the deep green foliage and blue of the sky. Home. I could hardly use that word to define the house my family had here, but the fact that I'd finally be able to catch up with my mother again was exciting.

Eventually we passed the spot where I'd first saved Birch, and then we were in the heart of Littleroot. I was reminded of the day I'd first jumped out of the moving truck. How long ago _was_ that? _More time has passed than I thought…_

I was about to follow my father back to the house when Birch called out to me. "Hey, May! You wanted to learn more about that Egg, right?"

"Yes," I replied. "I guess I should go now, before we start eating, right…?"

The professor nodded. "It should only take a minute! That way, I can kick back and relax the rest of the night!" He beckoned to me and started down the dirt path that weaved across Littleroot's hills, to his lab. "C'mon!"

* * *

The fluorescent lights of Professor Birch's lab gradually brightened as I followed him over to some kind of weird machine. There were lots of those in there – this one was just as incomprehensible to me as the rest. The Egg was sitting in a small compartment that looked dangerously similar to a microwave, and a screen posted next to it was blinking. Birch opened up the device and took out the Egg like it was nothing, and then started fiddling around with the screen.

"This may take longer than I thought!" He said in exasperation. "Go ahead and make yourself at home! I have lots of books on Pokemon science, so if you see something you like, read away, take it, I don't care!"

Hesitantly, I walked over to a bookshelf and picked out a title that seemed interesting, only to swing back around in surprise as the professor started cackling. "I'm just messing with you, kiddo! There's a TV next to that desk, over there! I know teens aren't that into reading anymore! But, I mean, if you want to, go ahead- oh! No, no, no! Don't erase all data!"

I shrugged, stuck the book in my bag, and hovered over to the television specified as Birch continued jumping around the machine and tinkering. _Maybe there's a Pokemon Contest on. _After rummaging through some stray papers, photos, and jars of dirt, I happened upon the remote. The news was the first thing to appear on the screen, along with a _very_ familiar backdrop – Mt. Chimney.

I tensed as the reporters went back and forth about Team Aqua, Professor Cozmo, and, particularly, the young woman who had heroically saved him. I just barely picked up on the lack of movement or muttering from across the room, where Birch was. "But it wasn't anything special…" I muttered under my breath. "It wasn't heroic. I mean, I just did what anyone else would do… I did what I thought was right…"

The news anchors went on and on, focusing more on Aqua itself, arguing over its intentions. One man, a guest on the show, argued relentlessly that they were no good, and even accused them of stealing people's Pokemon and having vengeful intentions. The anchors laughed it off, countering with the hard facts – how much money Aqua had apparently donated to nonprofits helping abandoned and abused Pokemon, how they showed up at nearly every reforestation or ecological restoration event to support it… Alarms were going off in my head. "'The best interests of Pokemon in mind?' That's bullshit!" Anger forced the words out of my mouth. "What's wrong with these people?" _They have to be wrong… They _have_ to!_

"May?" came Birch's voice from across the room. "Whatcha watchin'? The news?"

I blinked and turned my attention from the screen. "Oh, err, yes…"

He was looking this way. "They just won't shut up about that Aqua thing, right? It gets annoying after a while!"

I shifted back around in the chair and eyed the TV. It had switched to commercials, so I flicked it off. "Yeah."

The soft hum of machines filled the otherwise silent room and I spaced out for a minute more.

"Done! I've got all the info we need!" The professor announced all of the sudden.

I jumped up and ran over, taking the egg from him and managing to stuff it back into my bag. "What's the verdict?"

His eyebrows jumped up as he read over a sheet of paper the device was spitting out. "It's… It's a _Bagon_ egg! A Dragon-type! I don't know that much about that Pokemon, but I guess it's all the better that you have one! Or, you will have one. It might not hatch for a while. But it's in good health!"

"Bagon…" I muttered, thinking of the Dragon Pokemon that I'd seen in the cave accompanying the mysterious old man that'd given me the egg. _Maybe it evolves into _that_?_

Birch fiddled around with the paper a little more, taking it all in. It was like watching a computer scanning a sheet of paper. With how clumsy and goofy the man was, it was weird to see him act serious and studious. "Dragon-types are especially hard to train," he mentioned, folding the paper up and tossing it onto an already-cluttered desk, "but your skill should be more than enough! I'm tellin' ya, you're just like your old man, May! Especially after seeing that Gym battle!"

I immediately took the comment the wrong way and turned my gaze to the ground. _Am I…? N-no, he didn't mean it like that, May… He just meant you're a good trainer. Don't get upset. Don't get upset. Geez… Why do I always assume people mean that in a bad way? Pokemon battling. I'm good at Pokemon battling._ Swallowing, I brought my head back up and replied, "Thanks."

The sudden somber expression that'd appeared on the professor's face took me off guard. "U-um, is something wrong?" I inquired carefully. "Lemme guess – I grew up so fast, it was just yesterday that you were changing my diapers-"

"I'm sorry, kiddo," he interjected. "I know Norman's not the most compassionate guy in the world. He never has been. I was overjoyed when first I heard they were having a kid, but somewhere deep inside I was worried, too."

I stood there for a while, staring at a section of the gray wall just to the right of the professor, unable to come up with a reply.

Birch sighed and scratched his head of rusty brown hair in thought. "I mean, I know there were some places where I could've done better with Brendan, but he's still a good kid! You are too, May, and boy was that a relief – but my wife and I – hell, even Brendan – we can tell your old man hasn't been the easiest guy to deal with. With how many years it's been, he probably never will be in that regard. But try and stay positive about it – at least you have a Pokemon now!"

A frustrated sigh escaped my lips and I ran one hand across my face, erasing the hot tears stinging my eyes before they could reveal themselves. "…There's nothing to apologize for. And it's okay. I think with the Gym Battle, w-we've mended things up pretty well…"

The professor still had that expression on his face, like I was a tiny, starving, abandoned puppy. "Oh, c'mere, kiddo. Looks like someone needs a Birch bear-hug!"

"Huh? N-no, I- oof!" Before I could reply the air was squeezed out of my lungs by something that was less of an embrace and more of a death grip. The professor's dirty lab coat was shoved into my face and I recoiled a bit at the smell; earth and sweat. I couldn't help but let out a short laugh and then return the hug. It was heartfelt and genuine and I couldn't even remember the last time I'd been given a real one.

After a few seconds he released me and once again had a wide grin on his face. "All smiles, now! It's dinnertime!"

I nodded. "Good, I'm getting hungry."

"Dad! May! There you guys are!" The word spilled out of Brendan's mouth unevenly as the glass doors to the lab zipped shut behind me.

"What is it?" Birch questioned, giving him a quizzical look. "Did you run over here?"

"I-it's just… these weird people just showed up. And they were looking for you, I think, May. A-anyway you guys have to come quickly. Hurry! C'mon!"

The boy dragged his father off around the side of the building, and, still totally baffled, I followed. The air was heavy and humid and full of the loud chirping of cicadas. _What is he talking about…?_ I thought as I watched his lanky figure maneuver up the hillside towards my house, straying from the path completely._ 'Weird people'? What's so urgent about…_

I stopped. _Weird people. Looking for me… No… No, it can't be them. I'm just being paranoid. It can't be. It can't be… No…_

The world around me was a blur as I sped up the slope after Brendan, nearly tripping and falling on the uneven ground multiple times. At last, covered in sweat, I reached the top, and my house was just across the street. From the outside, it looked as normal as ever, though the front door was wide open. I pushed past Brendan and hobbled through the doorway.

"Is everyone okay?" The words exploded from within me without realizing it. Everything seemed alright. There were no tears in the wall, no fires, no gunshots, no one holding my parents hostage. What was Brendan's fuss about, then…?

There was no reply and I stepped into the living room towards the kitchen, forgetting even to take my shoes off. The table was set, but no one was sitting there. Weird. The warm scent of nikujaga grew stronger with each step I took and my stomach rumbled again. "Mom…?"

"May!" Sure enough, my mother was in the kitchen, cooking something on the stove. My father was standing next to her, a hand on her shoulder. She lit up as soon as she saw me and rushed over, nearly tackling me in a hug. "Ohh, it's so good to see you again! I missed you! You should have called more! How are you? How is that Torchic of yours? Did you buy me any souvenirs? Make any friends? Meet any cute boys? Oh, I can't believe you beat your father in a battle!"

I laughed gingerly at her sudden assault. "It's good to see you, too, Mom. I…"

A cold pair of eyes met mine. My father was… glaring. I'd seen this look a million times before and I knew what it meant – disappointment. I'd dishonored him in some way. But I couldn't imagine why he was giving it to me now. Didn't we just patch things up, a few hours ago? Was he just being moody?

My mother released me. "The strangest thing just happened! These people showed up, all dressed in the same outfit, saying they were looking for you. I asked them to wait a few minutes since you were coming home for dinner soon, and then Brendan came up and started yelling, and then your father got involved, and…"

I froze.

"And…?"

The look my father was giving me was practically boring holes in my head, but I kept my eyes trained on my mother.

"Well, they got scared off, or something! But now I realize they weren't your friends, May… and I'm worried. I hope you haven't been doing anything bad on your journey, dear. Remember, stranger danger." She ran a hand down my cheek and smiled. "But in any case, I'm so happy you're back!"

I stood there like a scarecrow as she scurried back over to the stove to check on the food. Her face fell some, and I saw her cast an uneasy look at my father.

The cat was out. She knew. And if she knew, my father must know. Maybe they didn't, though – maybe they just thought it was a coincidence. Maybe they didn't make the link the girl they were talking about on television.

At that same time, however, I heard the TV in the living room suddenly come off of commercials. It was off of mute, now – _Brendan and the professor must be waiting out there for us to finish dinner…_ As soon as I heard the news jingle for Hoenn News Network I wanted to scream. _Turn it down! Turn it off!_ I could practically hear my own voice yelling the words but in reality I was totally still. Then the report started. Thanks to the hissing of something on the stove, the words were incomprehensible. But in less than a minute my mother had the stew completely finished and was turning off the burner, leaving a window of silence between the kitchen and the TV.

"…_That's right, the elusive trainer Steven!"_

The name registered in my head and I slowly began to resurface from my own thoughts. From my peripheral vision, I spotted my father turning his head towards the television.

_"The man rumored to apparently be the same Steven that is the young heir to President Stone's throne was spotted leaving the scene, but unfortunately, had no words for us."_

_"That's odd, that he was in a hurry like that. Maybe Devon might be more entangled in this whole Team Aqua ordeal than we assumed!"_

I snapped completely out of my daze at the name. _Aqua?_ My father had his full attention on the TV now, even though the screen wasn't facing us from where we were standing, like a wolf listening for the movement of its prey.

_"Well, let's switch to a similar subject, Ty. What about the mysterious trainer girl? Do we have any updates on her?"_

I froze and broke into a cold sweat. _What? Why are they still going on about me? I haven't even seen Aqua lately, at all… Why…_ But my body still wouldn't move. Even if I could manage to run out and change the channel, it'd make me look even more suspicious. _This is it, _I thought. _I might as well prepare for the worst._ With a shaky sigh, I took out some bowls and started to serve the nikujaga.

_"We do, actually!"_

_Shit! _I nearly spilled the food as I carried it out to the table, where Brendan and his dad were seated. Birch looked particularly uneasy. Keeping my eyes on the ground, I set the bowls down and turned back towards the kitchen. _How?! What are they talking about? I never saw any news reporters!_

A picture of a familiar man showed up on the screen. He looked disoriented, with one hand gripping a crooked pair of glasses. A professor. A professor I'd met not too long ago. "_As you know, Doctor Cozmo was reported to been rescued by a young female trainer. And rumors have been saying she's a vigilante fighting against Team Aqua – the same one from Slateport City!"_

_"Of course. But what's the deal breaker? Is she, or is she not?"_

_"Well – now, this is just speculation, but – what we think is…"_

I was visibly trembling now. _Speculation?! This is the _news! _You don't _speculate _on the _news_!_

_"…Is that this girl is working for Devon! Not only were the saviors of Mr. Cozmo and Captain Stern – both associated with the organization – described as being a female trainer in her late teens, but also, _apparently _an incident a month or so ago in _Rustboro_ City and Team Aqua involved someone strangely similar! This can only mean one thing, folks – Devon is waging war against Team Aqua! What does this mean for the company's future? And, again, this is all just speculation."_

_"Oh, that's intriguing! It's all quite the ambiguous situation, and we're not sure what to think of it. Are Team Aqua and Team Magma doing good for the world like they say, Ty, or do you think they're up to something else?"_

_"I can't say; I honestly have no idea. But Gabby and I are dedicated to finding out more about Devon's involvement with the two groups, and our mystery trainer!"_

_"Thank you, Ty. You truly do care for our region's safety. Now, up next, viewers, we're switching to-"_

I staggered into the kitchen and leaned against a counter, wishing I could just disappear. Or shrink. To just get smaller and smaller and smaller until I was a speck and no one would have to see me again. But I was here. I was surrounded by my friends and family and my father was about to have one of his famous explosions right here and there was nothing I could do to stop it – and it was my fault, in the end, for doing something as crazy and dangerous as playing hero against people like Aqua. His face was contorted in rage and his mouth was moving, but I wasn't receiving half of it. Exhaling, I brought myself back to the real world and confronted him.

"What is your involvement with those two groups, _May!"_

I flinched and stared at the dull tile flooring of the kitchen. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted my mother turned away from us with a distant look on her face. Brendan and Professor Birch had left, their bowls of nikujaga still sitting on the table, steaming. I clenched my hands into fists.

"Yes, I'm the one they're talking about, Dad."

There was silence, like quiet before a storm. I didn't look up.

"Give me the rest of your Pokemon," my father then said in a level tone.

My head snapped up. "What? Why?!"

"Because, May," he was yelling again, "you aren't ready to raise Pokemon!"

I was completely taken aback. "What are you talking about?! You just said you were _proud_ of me!"

He only became more furious at this remark. "I was impressed with how you battled, May! That has nothing to do with responsibility! What are you thinking, getting involved with _gangs_?!"

"I had no choice!" I spat back. "I was doing what was right! How does that make me irresponsi-"

"You've been playing 'hero' since you were four. You're just a beginner trainer, May! You don't know when you're in over your head, and you're still as impulsive and arrogant as you were in Johto!" He took a step closer. "It's just as I told you! You are only going to get yourself and your Pokemon hurt!"

An image of Professor Cozmo, beaten senseless, flashed through my mind. I took a step forwards. "That's wrong! I was stopping people who were hurting others! What would you know? You've only called in to check on me _once_! You don't know anything about me, or what I've been through, other than that garbage you've seen on TV!"

"I understand enough about you now from our battle!" he retorted, flinging his hands up in the air. "You failed your first one horribly; you and I both understand that. Because you were impulsive and you got ahead of yourself. Look what happened to your Pokemon!" He pointed an accusing finger at my bag, sitting on the countertop. "_That_ is called hurting others. Having thugs show up at your mother's doorstep searching for her daughter? _That_ is called putting others at risk! You don't understand the consequences of your actions, May!"

_"You know exactly what you were doing, and how dangerous, and how idiotic it was, May. You went against my word completely!"_

The words that had been drilled into my mind resurfaced. My fists tightened and I did not speak out of fear that my voice would crack. My father continued glowering at me as I turned away, rubbing the side of my head, trying to get the conversation from that night out of my mind.

"Now," he started again, in a lower, more rational voice, "for now, just go cool off in your room for a while. I'll explain everything to Birch and give him your Pokemon." I saw the man walk over to the counter and unzip my bag and, one by one, the Pokeballs were being taken out, and just like that all of the progress I'd made was being destroyed and I _couldn't take it-_

_Crash!_

Brilliant light filled the room and I heard familiar click of a Pokeball opening. Music to my ears.

"'_Busken!"_

My heart lifted around upon hearing the Pokemon's squawk and I felt a fire light up inside my chest. There it was, perched on top of my bag, feathers ruffled in agitation. Out of surprise, my father stumbled backwards, dropping the rest of the Pokeballs. I took the chance, speeding across the room and collecting all six of the objects. Combusken hopped onto my shoulders with another fierce chirp. My hands were still shaking as I shoved the Pokeballs back into my bag, wrapped it around my waist, and took one look down at my father. He was recovering, very quickly. My mother was staring at me like she knew what I was about to do. And so, I did what I had been originally planning to do for a long time.

I ran.

_I can't stop…_ _I'm not going back. I'm not staying in Littleroot. I can't._ My grip on the Pokenav tightened. _He's wrong about me! If I didn't stop Team Aqua those times… nobody would have!_ My breathing picked up as I sprinted across one of Littleroot's many open meadows, feeling like a Pokemon myself. Route 101 was just ahead. The wiry grass was easy to maneuver through and thanks to the Running Shoes I was nearly gliding over it, a red dot among the shifting sea of turquoise. So out of place, too – it was dark out now and everyone's house was emanating a soft yellow light, no doubt full of families like mine sitting down for dinner. _What an idiot I am, for thinking that would ever work out with us, _I thought, skidding onto a dirt path. _Mom knew it wouldn't. Hell, even Professor Birch knew it wouldn't. News report or not, it still would have been a disaster._

"_May! _Come back!" came a furious call from behind, distorted by the wind. "Get back here! May!"

I kept my gaze trained on the path ahead and whipped out the Mach Bike. In an instant I was flying forwards through the wooded path, dodging trees and sending mud and leaves spraying up in either direction. Through my jagged breathing I heard my stomach roar and mentally slapped myself for not getting a few bites of my mom's killer nikujaga in before leaving.

Unfortunately, that single distraction was enough. I sloppily curved away from a root in the ground and found myself going full-speed down a ravine towards an old oak tree. My breath caught in my throat and my fingers locked up around the handlebars. _I can't move. I can't move I-_

_CRASH!_

…

Pain. Sharp burning, in a number of places. I struggled to take account of my condition. My left arm was hurting the most, a long series of scratches running up from my pinky and ring finger up to my shoulder, which felt awkward and off. I'd hit my head. On the same side, the left. The wheel must have turned to the right last minute. Luckily, my arm had taken the worst of it and I was still completely conscious. _Doing good so far,_ I thought as I pulled my eyes open. I found myself looking down at a totally busted bike, the entire front bent up like some kind of sculpture. _I hope I don't look like that._ I got back to my feet, fighting another wave of dizziness, and realized my leg was hurting, too. _Oh, not good. _I felt lightheaded upon seeing the damage; a gouge, right where I'd had a bruise from the ordeal at Mt. Chimney. Some part of the bike must've curved back and jabbed me.

I stood there for some time, trying to even out my breathing. I couldn't be far from Oldale; Route 101 was short. The sounds of the forest closed in on me and I leaned against the tree that I'd just splatted against, sighing. _So, this is what it's come to…_

"May! Where are you!"

I dismissed the voice for something in my head, my own thoughts nagging at me, but then I heard shuffling nearby and gasped. _I have to go. He's out here. _Team Aqua_ could still be out here, for all I know. Mauville… I have to try to get to Mauville, at least. Then I'll be safe._ I took a few steps forward, like a test run. Not good – the wound on my shin was bleeding like crazy. I remembered a book I'd read a few years ago – 'Healing in the Wild'? 'First Aid for Trainers'? I needed to apply pressure to it. I pulled my bandanna from my head, balled it up, and tied it around my leg before folding the mangled bike up as best as I could and carrying on towards Oldale.

_Should I really be doing this, after all? What if they come after, I don't know, Wally, next? If they knew where Mom lived, then what else do they know? What's to stop them from trying to hurt Mom…? Brendan and Dad might not be there next time…_ Oldale emerged from the trees and my feet carried me onwards. _Is it childish of me to think _I _can actually stop them…? Am I overly attached to my Pokemon? …If I did agree to stay in Littleroot, Dad would at least let me see them sometimes, right…?_

The wind picked up again. I thought back to the Gym Leaders I had fought, and in a moment of reflection opened up my badge case. Five out of the eight slots were full, twinkling in the light of the street lamps. I was more than halfway there. _"You could become the Pokemon League Champion one day, if you keep training."_

I inhaled sharply, rubbed my eyes, and continued onto Route 103.

* * *

By the time I could actually hear running water, it was very late and I was using the light of the Pokenav to see where I was stepping. The pain had died down some and was replaced by numbness, and in my head I was still struggling with feelings of guilt.

I stepped over a large tree root, and gasped as my foot sunk into an inch of thick, soupy mud. I immediately pulled it back and pointed the Pokenav's light ahead; sure enough, the soggy grass was giving way to water. _This is it!_

The land and the water seemed to simply blend together into what could barely be called a shoreline, and gnarled, grotesque cypress trees clawed up at the sky from the shallows. I half expected a Feraligatr to leap out and attack me. _I have to hurry, _I reminded myself. I released Lombre from its Pokeball, who a few hours prior I'd taught the new HM to. It watched me with two lidded, dazed eyes.

"U-umm… So, how does this work?" I muttered.

Lombre nodded its head down, gesturing to its lily pad.

_Does it want me to stand on that…?_ I thought. _Wouldn't that hurt it, though?_

After another moment of hesitation, I stepped through the mud and into the water. Once I had two feet cautiously placed on the Pokemon's head, we uneasily shook back and forth for a while until I was balanced. Lombre then began swimming forwards at a leisurely place. It was a strange feeling, almost like hovering on the top of water, and each time the Pokemon turned I would have to readjust my feet a little and grab the rim of the lily pad, but eventually I got the hang of it.

_This isn't so bad. Mauville, here we come._

* * *

The Cycling Road loomed over me as I stood at the crossroads between Route 103 and Route 110. Mauville, or Slateport. I rolled my head to the side, looking down the well-lit road that led to the lively coastal city; the Pokemon Center wasn't far from the north entrance and I'd be able to lay down and treat my injuries in no time. But that would also be backtracking – something I couldn't afford with my father and possibly Team Aqua on my tail.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I looked towards the upper half of Route 110. It was dark, shadowed by the elevated highway running over it, and there was no end in sight. It was a long trek from here to Mauville, especially on foot. And it was late. The obnoxious, bright colors of the Pokenav screen stung my eyes as I opened the device – 12AM. Not part of my initial plan. _But if I get to Mauville, _I thought, opening the map app, _I can head east in the morning… If I can just get past that little body of water on Route 118, I'll be safe, for sure. _My grip on the Pokenav tightened. _Dad wouldn't follow me there, not with the Gym to run. Plus, he'll probably want to stay near Mom in case Aqua returns…_

With a sigh, I pulled myself back to my feet. My leg had stopped bleeding a while back, and dousing it in salt water had certainly helped, but it still looked – and hurt – like hell. As I walked, I eyed my bandanna meticulously. _I'll definitely need to throw that in the wash._

The night crawled onward as I crossed over to Route 110. _Mauville… Mauville…_ I limped forward like a zombie, the brisk wind coming off of the ocean giving me a bad chill but just barely keeping me awake. Along with the threat being under house arrest for another 6 years. _I'm sure I've lost him, _I thought, pausing once I was underneath Cycling Road and glancing back, _but still…_

* * *

** A/N: **Let me know if anything seemed inconsistent or weird! Norman's hard to write. In all Hoenn adaptations he's pretty protective and serious, so I amped that up a bit. Compared to Birch he's a very controlling parent, whereas May is adventurous and headstrong. But they're both crazy strong trainers/battlers. The manga had a good (but violent!) interpretation of his character

Sorry about everyone's favorite still not showing up, but his time will come soon. I'm also still doing some work with revising previous chapters.

Reviews greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!


	23. Surprise, Steven and Latios

**Chapter 23 – Surprise Encounter! Steven and Latios?!**

"_Busken!_"

There was a nudge at my arm. I groaned and rolled over.

_"Combusken!"_

This time it was a jab – a sharp one, at that. My eyes snapped open and I flew upright, grumbling in pain. Combusken was sitting next to my pillow, orange eyes narrowed in irritation.

"What was that for, you stupid bird?!" I mumbled.

The Pokemon, looking even more agitated, ran over to the window and pulled open the blinds. Immediately a wave of sunlight spilled in from it, stinging my eyes.

I slowly realized what the Pokemon was getting at and gasped. "What… what time is it?!" I began frantically searching around the covers for my Pokenav, and eventually it dropped onto the floor. I practically fell off the bed grabbing for it. 10:00AM. Not too late, and it only made sense, I thought as I recalled the previous night. By the time I'd reached the Pokemon Center, the sun was rising and the sky was dyed a sickening pale. I desperately needed more rest, but that wasn't an option – not today, not in Mauville.

I cursed under my breath and got to my feet, immediately feeling a familiar pain in my leg. _That's right…! _I jumped, remembering the fall from the previous day. _I should get this checked out… No, I don't have time… and I can't make the nurse here familiar with my face, in case my father comes through looking for me…_

I sighed and gathered up my items. My bandanna was still messily wrapped around my shin, and there were visible blood stains on it here and there. _At least it's already red…_ With another uneasy look at the clock, I rushed through my morning routine, taking extra time in the shower to clean up the wounds.

After redressing in a slightly fresher change of clothes, I was about to leave when I noticed something on the night stand. _Is that… Medical tape?_ _How did…_ I picked up the item and played with it in my hands. _It is… did the nurse bring this in while I was asleep…? I wonder…_

Bandages in hand, I sat back down on the bed and sloppily wrapped my leg and arm. Each movement caused them to sting even more, but I just didn't want to risk drawing any more attention to myself by showing them off to every person I passed. I wadded up the wet bandanna and shoved it into one pocket before leaving the room.

Luckily, the nurse wasn't in the lobby as I walked out, but there was a pouty kid talking to his friend about how he lost a gym match. He made eye contact with me, and then seemed to screw up his face in disgust. I frowned and looked away. _Gee, am I really in that bad shape?_

* * *

"Hello!" came a cheery voice as I entered Mauville's only bike shop. A blast of cool AC hit me and I closed my eyes in relief – the air outside was heavy and hot. "Oh! I remember you!"

_Great…_ "Oh, yeah, um… Well, you see…"

I pulled out the broken item from my bag and unfolded it. The man sobered.

"I… I was biking offroad, and I guess I shouldn't have been, ahah… It's a little… broken…" I rubbed the back of my head and glanced at the many rows of bikes around the room.

His expression lightened after he examined it a bit. "Well, that's alright! Nothing I can't fix! I hope that's not how you got busted up, though!"

Surprised, I placed a hand on my bandaged arm. "Oh, not really…!"

The man grinned again and picked the bike up in one hand. "It's no problem," he said as he called over one of his employees. "We can have it fixed by Friday. No – sooner than that, even! Come back tomorrow morning!"

I gulped. "Tomorrow… I… I might not be able to make it, then…"

The man seemed a little downtrodden by the remark. "Well, how about this: we fix it, you come back at whatever time's good in the future, and until then, you just use one of these Acro Bikes here!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Acro Bike…?" _Oh! That's right, he did mention this when I was here the first time!_ "Right! Thank you!"

He nodded and lifted one off of a rack. "No problem, no problem! 'Long as our name gets out there, I'm fine with it! Now this one doesn't work well on the Cycling Road, but it's great for going offroad!"

I took the bike – it wasn't much different from the Mach Bike, aside from a few technical things, and the fact that it _worked_ – and fitted it into my bag. _Offroad… that sounds a lot like where I'm headed. _I opened my mouth to reply, but then stopped myself. _Maybe I should…_ "Well, that's too bad. I was planning on going down to Slateport today. Maybe I'll just visit… Verdanturf." I put on an easy smile and shrugged. "But, a free bike is still more than _I _deserve, ahaha!"

The salesman laughed along and said a quick goodbye to me before wandering over to sweet talk another customer. Put in a slightly better mood, I left the shop.

_Hmm…_ I thought about Verdanturf seriously for a moment. _I do wish I could visit Wally…_

* * *

Unfortunately, visiting Wally was not an option. Not only was that way out of my way, but if his extended family had already found out about the incident from Wally's father – who was friend with mine – things would only go downhill from there. And just getting to Verdanturf was another ordeal – Brendan was, no doubt, in town. I snorted, letting a possible encounter with him play out in my head – "Sup, May. Whoa, you look like hell. What was that thing with you and your dad? I should probably call him and tell him you're in Mauville. He wants you to come home, for whatever reason. What's up with that?" _Yeah, not happening._

Quietly, I slipped out of the city limits and headed east, a cloud hanging over my head. There was no turning back now. Route 118 stretched out ahead of me, a series of rolling green fields contrasting against the urban setting of Mauville. In the distance was a thin line of blue, shimmering in the daylight – the crossover to eastern Hoenn. The sight hurt my eyes but it also filled my heart with hope. There was so much ahead of me, now – of course I couldn't just give up and go home.

_You'll never find me, now, Dad,_ I mused as Lombre labored across the inlet beneath me. A cool, salty breeze was blowing in from the ocean and it tossed my bangs away from my face. _You can't stop me. Aqua can't stop me. I'll keep training until I have all eight badges – no, until I'm the Champion – and I won't come home until I am. I'm sorry for not being good enough… or for being too good. And Mom, I'm sorry for getting you involved and for not calling you enough… But after finally getting out of the house, after so many years of waiting… I need time to figure things out._

* * *

By the time I reached the shoreline on the second half of Route 118, I was fully awake – and nearly having a heat stroke. It was obnoxiously hot on this side and even if I took off my bandanna, the sun roasted my hair to the point where I could probably fry eggs on it. I ran a hand across my forehead to brush my hair away and, before continuing the hike, pulled off my jacket. The tanktop beneath was black, but gave much needed ventilation.

The beach stretched on for miles before curving eastward. The sand was a deep yellow, compared to the white of Dewford's sand, but nonetheless it was crawling with fishermen and trainers. I wandered for a while, trying to cool off both physically and emotionally, and even had the luck of running into Ty and Gabby – a news reporter and cameraman duo I'd lost to on Route 111. Just seeing their faces put me in a rotten mood and the fact that they wanted to broadcast another battle live for 'continuity' rubbed me the wrong way, but I somehow ended up battling against them nonetheless – and winning.

After completing their 'quick' interview, I made for the trail that dug into the gut of eastern Hoenn. The difference between the two subregions was already noticeable – the path was narrow and overgrown with exotic foliage. Curly trees covered in leaves the size of serving plates rose from patches of wildflowers easily mistakable for Pokemon. The ground was uneven, making tripping a hazard, and the grass seemed to get more and more verdant every few feet. The only part of the horizon visible was far off to the east – down a path the Pokenav called Route 123. Hiking around Mt. Chimney and Route 114 made me feel insignificant, but this… It was like being a tiny fish in an endless ocean of life. And it was a great feeling. I'd only been skimming the surface – down below there was so much more to explore that I hadn't even realized was there until now, facing the wilderness.

Feeling as light and carefree as a feather, I walked over to a soft looking patch of grass and collapsed on my back, Pokeballs rattling at my belt. With a sigh, I crossed my legs, pulled out the book I'd found in Birch's lab, and relaxed. _I made it. We made it._

* * *

_Fwsh, fwsh…_

I took a long breath in, rolling over onto my side.

_Fwish, fwsh, fwsh, fwsh…_

_Hmm…? What's…_ Reluctantly, I peeled open my eyelids and sat up. Nothing but tall grass, the loud humming of insects, and Mightyena, curled up next to me in a monochromatic ball of fur. _Then what was…_

_Fwsh, fwsh, fwsh…!_ The noise was louder now. Footsteps – someone wading through the undergrowth around me. Alarms rang in my head as I pulled my jacket back on, stood up, and made myself presentable. Mightyena did the same, giving its fur a few quick licks and growling. I'd come to realize that it usually only did that when there was another human around. Nervously, I stepped out of the tall grass and onto the path…

…"Hi!"

The voice… not as low as Brendan's, not as wispy as Wally's… _Eep!_ _T-that's… _I looked up at the person I'd practically run in to, eyes wide.

"It's me, Steven. You're that trainer I met in Dewford, are you not? You're – err, what was it…"

I blinked, taking in the new sight. Steven. Steven Stone. _I remember now, _I thought. _The rock guy… Geologist. The son of President Stone, from Devon._ I replayed the encounter at Granite Cave again in my mind. The letter. Steel Wing. I could become Champion… The Devon Goods, the Museum, Archie, Mt. Chimney, the Meteorite, Team Aqua, Team Aqua, Team Aqua-

"Ah, s-sorry. Your name-" Steven's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He was giving me an expectant – and almost embarrassed – look. The man's appearance seemed wildly different from what I remembered about our first meeting. It may have just been the lighting, but his hair was an even mix of sleek and messy, colored a shiny cyan that nearly blended with the sky behind him. His eyes, which had moved off to the side, were near the same color. He was still pale, though – or maybe it just seemed that way to me, after mingling with the tanned population of Hoenn for so long.

But compared to the man I'd met in the cave he had a whole different air to him. He stood taller, appeared healthier, and between his sleek black suit and scarlet cravat he emanated an air of elegance unmatched by any other Hoenn bumpkin I'd met. Including me. I suddenly became acutely aware of my own horrid appearance – the fact that I'd been laying in the muddy grass just a minute prior didn't help this – and felt heat rush to my cheeks. I took a few steps away from him and made a pathetic attempt to smooth out my hair and clothes. Devon heir. Devon heir. Devon heir. How could I forget?

"May," I spat out the word, finally receiving his implied question. _What does he want with me? …Is it about what they were saying on TV?_

Steven lit up. "That's right – May. I'll remember it, this time." Instead of carrying on down the path, the man rested his hands in his pockets and looked down to the Pokemon at my side.

Mightyena, in turn, let out a low rumble. I patted the Pokemon's head and gave Steven an apologetic glance. "Sorry, she's not very friendly…" _Don't scare him off, geez!_

He chuckled and waved it off. "It's okay. So, Route 118? Heading to Fortree City, I presume?"

I nodded. "I just got my fifth badge." _Damn it, there's the memory again…_ I pushed the thoughts away. "I was on my way to Route 119."

"That's incredible progress," replied Steven, starting up the path and motioning for me to follow alongside him. "It's good to see your journey is going well. So, a Combusken and now a Mightyena – do you prefer a certain type, or do you like sticking to one?"

I looked to the Dark-type in thought as it followed along, wedging itself between Steven and I. "I mostly stick to using Pokemon I get attached to, I guess…" I found myself saying. _Even if they are rotten!_

He hummed in reply, moving his gaze to the path, and I took the chance to steal a glance at him. It didn't seem like he was faking politeness at all, or if he was, he was doing a damn good job. Walking this close, I accepted that he did have a few inches on me and felt all the more intimidated. _Why's a guy like him so interested in my Pokemon in the first place? Geez…_

Steven turned again, and unfortunately he caught my gaze before I could avert it. "Raising your favorite Pokemon is fine, too. Whatever is the most fun. It's different for every trainer," he came to a stop and looked up at the sky. A dazed, stoic expression took over his features, one not unlike the one I'd gotten in Granite Cave. "Not like it's any of my business, but I find myself wondering what you think, for some reason."

There was a long pause, giving me plenty of times to soak in and misinterpret his words. Everything about this guy confused me. If it wasn't his seemingly misplaced interest in me as a trainer – and now, my personal views, too – then it was his involvement with Devon and Team Aqua. Bits and pieces of news segments I'd heard were still floating around in the back of my head and in the midst of my awkward shuffling I tried to formulate a question about the gangs that he'd hopefully answer, but by the time I was opening my mouth to speak he'd snapped out of his daze.

"Well, I suppose I should be going." There was a hint of disappointment in his tone, but I didn't object.

Giving Steven a small smile, I nodded. "T-thanks again, for the TM. And the Pokenav. Tell Mr. Stone I said thank you." _That's it?_ I mentally slapped myself. _All of this Aqua shit going on and all you have to say is 'thanks'?_

Steven seemed pleased enough at the remark though, returning the smile. "I hope to see you again, May. It'd be nice if we were to meet again somewhere soon. Best of luck."

With that, he turned to leave, heading for Route 123. I was in a daze now. I had no idea why he was so friendly, but obviously it'd hit some kind of chord inside me because I once again had that feathery light feeling. _Yeah, it'd be nice to meet again._ All of the sudden I smacked my hand against my forehead in irritation, remembering that I still had a million questions for Steven and that no amount of sweet talking would get him out of answering them next time. I eyed his retreating figure once more – he looked so out of place in the swirling maze of vegetation.

_Fwwwwwwww…_

Steven had stopped. I was about to mull over it when I heard a strange, whistling sort of noise, like a strong gale. _What is… Whoa!_ Out of nowhere came a blast of wind that nearly knocked me off of my feet. I squinted, bracing myself and searching the sky. Nothing, not even a cloud. What was that? A wild Pokemon? Confused, I found myself glancing back over in Steven's direction.

"Could that be…" He seemed even more aghast than I was.

Searching the sky one more time, I found what Steven was looking at with such interest. A blue and white speck – it was spiraling down and down towards the ground, back near the beach. A flying Pokemon…? But that speed… it was like a jet plane had gone by.

"May." I jumped. Steven was in front of me, a much more urgent look in his misty eyes. "Follow me."

Wary, but curious, I did as he asked. We silently hiked back down the trail and onto the beach – the southern bend of it was less crowded, and on the ocean, so it was significantly cooler. The water lapped calmly at the sand, and further offshore there were dark clouds beneath the surface which I guessed were packs of Tentacool.

We continued along the water's edge as the beach grew more and more narrow. I could feel my shoes filling up with sand and wondered if the same thing was happening to Steven's sleek black loafers. What was he thinking, trodding through the sand and mud in such nice clothes? _I'll never understand this guy. _

After what felt like hours, we reached the point where the sand disappeared altogether as the sea and the land converged. Steven stopped all of the sudden and I nearly ran into him. _Why did he stop…? There's nothing…_

"Oh!"

* * *

Steven Stone was not having the best week. He was on his third loop around Fortree City and still had seen no sign of Team Aqua. The area was relatively remote, so he couldn't fathom why they'd be so active over here, but nonetheless Winona had seen them. And the girl wasn't the lying type. His first trip around had been by air, but the forest was so dense that he realized that'd get him nowhere, so he started walking it. And in the midst of all this, he'd been getting a number of calls from his father, scolding him over the Pokenav. "Have you seen the news? How could you get that girl involved!" "If something happens, this is going all on the company!" "You need to stop these hooligans!" "Stop getting involved with them?! Do you realize what you represent to Devon?" It was all very overwhelming, on top of the responsibility of being Champion.

Spotting the familiar red bandanna from the top of a hill was a stroke of luck. He watched from afar – she was battling a duo that looked awfully familiar – and, thinking she'd start heading his way, he hiked downhill, hoping to run into her. Unfortunately she'd somehow disappeared and when he finally found her he drew a blank and forgot her name. _May_, he reminded himself once more – _it's May._

Luckily she didn't seem weirded out at his questions and hung around for a while instead of making an excuse and running off. Steven knew he couldn't look or smell very good after camping nonstop for over a week in the wilds, but one glance at the trainer was enough to dismiss that insecurity. She didn't look all that great herself – the muddy clothes and hair was expected, but the bandages wrapped around her arm and leg and the gray circles around her otherwise fiery blue eyes set off alarms. Was this all because of Aqua? Because of… Devon?

But aside from being a little quiet, May seemed fine. He'd been right about the potential he'd seen in her in Granite Cave – five badges in a little more than a month. Back then, there was only the question of whether she'd be able to live up to his expectations – and so far, she was exceeding them. It was astounding. But they did have to part ways, so Steven had wished May farewell and had been on his way.

But then, something unexpected had to happen. In his world, unexpected things were either great opportunities or devastating. Meeting May, for example – that was a good surprise. The night that three grunts from a low-key organization called Aqua broke into his father's home? That was a bad one.

Standing on the very edge of Route 118's beach, Steven was convinced this was a bad surprise, too.

Why was Latios here? Seemingly calling for him? Revealing itself to humans, in such a place? The legendary Dragon-type was hovering over the water and let out a loud cry as Steven and May approached it.

"Latios…" he muttered, "what are you doing here…?"

The Pokemon's deep red eyes flicked over to the trainer standing beside Steven for a split second. It seemed distressed. But Latios was a Pokemon – there was no way he'd be able to get a direct reply out of it.

A second later, Steven was proven wrong. The Pokemon went still, and suddenly its eyes were glowing and the trainer felt his own body freeze. "What…"

Darkness, then a whirlpool of color. The sand, the water, the sky all swirled together and turned to gray. Latios' outline remained there, in the center of his vision, and out of the corner of his eye he could see May, still standing there, confused.

Then new colors filled his vision. Green, white, blue... The green turned into a forest, filling the horizon, and a grassy island beneath his feet. The blue turned to clear water, running through the trees and into a moat surrounding the island. The white melted into fog.

And then two figures, blurred silhouettes, came into view. They seemed huge at first, but Steven then realized that the viewpoint was from the ground, looking up. Then the entire image began to flick, and there was a muffled cry of pain. More flickering, more cries, until he couldn't bear it anymore, and suddenly with a single blink he was back on the beach.

"W-what the hell was that…?" he heard May mumble off to his right.

"I don't know," he replied. "But… I know what it means."

Turning towards the girl, the trainer frowned grimly.

"Something must be wrong. Explaining the entire legend would take some time, but Latias – this Pokemon's counterpart – it must be in trouble. It needs my – our – help. It probably wants to take us somewhere…"

She straightened and did a double take at the Dragon-type. "Something wrong…"

"May," he spoke without thinking, words escaping him before he realized it. That'd happened quite a lot in the past hour. "Come with me. On Latios."

_What are you thinking? _Steven scolded himself as the trainer went quiet and diverted her gaze. _There's no telling where Latios would go. Hell, maybe she's afraid of heights. Riding off on a mysterious Pokemon with Steven Stone – if it was anyone else-_

"Okay." May spoke up. "I'll go."

* * *

Everything had happened so fast. Steven coming out of nowhere and starting a conversation with me, the gust of wind, finding this Pokemon, learning it was a _Legendary _Pokemon, and now Steven asking me to go off and help with whatever problem it was facing. But it was the desperate look in the Pokemon's eyes that convinced me – it seemed to be much more intelligent and proud than anyone in my party and the fact that it was allowing someone like me to confront it was humbling.

And I had many more questions for Steven, questions that could hopefully be answered soon. There was no telling when the next time I met him would be, and the issue regarding Team Aqua and Devon needed answering. I steeled myself, nodding again at Steven who seemed incredulous at my acceptance of the offer, and turned back to Latios. It was observing me, narrowing its deep red eyes as I tightened my bag around my belt, sizing me up.

I shifted, uncomfortable. "Are you sure it's going to be okay with me coming, though? It seems like it only trusts you."

Steven turned to the Pokemon, brushing his hair out of his eyes, and scoffed. "Don't worry. The fact that it chose to reveal itself around you is proof enough that it trusts you."

The Pokemon and the well-dressed man drew closer and time seemed to slow down. Steven confidently reached out one hand, placing it on the Dragon-type's angular face, and then it lowered itself so that it was nearly touching the water. _How is it flying, without moving…?_ I stared in wonder as Steven casually hoisted himself onto its back.

Then it was my turn. Latios hovered over to me – not lowering itself, though, like it had for Steven – and hummed curtly. I swallowed and looked up at the sky. _I-it could toss me off at any time, if it doesn't trust me…_

"May?" Steven's voice broke my thoughts. He was holding his hand out and giving me an expectant look.

"Right," I nodded, and with a deep breath took his hand. _He wears rings,_ I observed, holding back a giggle. _Cool._

Mimicking Steven's actions, I placed one unsure foot on Latios' side and pushed off of the sand with the other. His grip tightened – he was a lot stronger than he looked, or I was just light. Once I was up Steven let go and I clumsily sat down in between the Pokemon's sturdy azure wings. _T-this thing's definitely not meant for carrying two_. Being this close to Steven made me feel lightheaded – not something you want to experience when you're about to fly off into the clouds without a saddle or seatbelt or anything. I gulped. Waking up this morning, I definitely didn't expect anything like this to happen. I would've tried to fix myself up a little better. I probably looked like a savage.

Latios didn't give me much time to fret. As soon as I was comfortable – using the term very lightly – it jerked forwards. We coasted over the water, and I turned around to watch the green mass of land gradually get swallowed up by haze and the ocean until it was out of sight._ So far, so good._ My lips lifted up into a huge grin. Just like that, all of my problems were swept away, far behind me.

I turned back around, beaming. "This is great! Woohoo!"

"Hold on." Steven leaned forwards, holding onto the Pokemon's neck. I raised an eyebrow. _Why is he…_

Suddenly Latios' wings shifted beneath my hands, and with that one motion it was zooming forwards.

"_WHHOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAA_!"

The ocean became a blur and a huge spray of salty water spread into the air behind us. My hands slipped and I just barely caught myself by curling my legs around Latios' wings. "_AAAAAAH_!" Panicking, I reached back towards the Pokemon's wings, but it was elusive and they shifted again from beneath my grasp, and in turn, Latios sped up even more.

With the wind slapping me in the face and nothing to grab on to, I was sure I was done for. What'd seemed like a nice ocean ride was going to be a mouthful of salt water and possible death. I looked down, eyes bugged out. Nope.

Steven must've grown annoyed by my screaming, and out of my peripheral vision I saw him turn his head around, brow raised in curiosity. He eyed me up and down and then his expression lifted and he was _laughing_.

I gritted my teeth but was unable to catch my breath and ask him what was so funny about me having a near death experience.

"You're not holding on!" He shouted, a grin uncharacteristic of the stoic man on his face.

_What the hell am I supposed to hold on to?! _I thought furiously, looking at Steven. Then I had an epiphany. The small gap between his arms and his torso. No way. Not in a million years. I wasn't the kind of girl to helplessly cling to a guy! But I'd seen the movies and TV shows. It was a cliché. And more importantly, the only option. Even after acknowledging this I couldn't force myself to move, and just sat there, arms hanging in the air, knees curled around its feathery wings, leaning back more and more as the Pokemon picked up speed.

I could practically see my reflection in Steven's goofy expression: wide, incredulous eyes, mouth hanging open in shock, skin a weird mix of deathly pale and deep red. I squeezed my eyes shut, even more embarrassed now. _Just let me fall into the water! _Please_!_

He was one step ahead of me though. I hung there in limbo as Steven, still grinning, leaned back, reached out, and took my hands. I blinked at him, confused and flustered, and then my arms were pulled up around his waist.

"Now, don't let go! Latios will be ascending soon!" he called, turning back around.

I barely heard his comment, too busy dealing with the current predicament. _Well, the worst has happened._ I was holding onto Steven Stone for dear life. Well, hardly. I bit my lip, trying to keep as much distance between him and me as possible. _Oh, geez, oh, geez, oh geez oh geez oh-_

"Here we go!" Steven's words seemed more like a warning than anything. He leaned forwards, grip on Latios' neck tightening.

I continued my screaming in my head as I felt Latios' wings shift again. With that one movement, the ocean vanished, replaced by the calm blue of the sky. My stomach lurched. It was like gaining a hundred pounds, all at once, and as Latios' incline increased I started sliding back until I was once again hooked on its wings. _This has to be n-n-n-ninety degrees!_ I thought, terror overtaking me, clinging on to Steven's midriff for dear life and possibly ruining his nice clothes.

Within seconds of liftoff Latios zipped through a layer of thin clouds, and for a moment I could barely see Steven's dark figure right in front of me. Then, just as I thought that with the moisture of water vapor combined with the degree at which we were increasing, I'd fall, Latios evened out as quickly as it'd curved upwards. For a split second I felt weightless, like we'd gone right into outer space, and then gravity returned.

I took a moment to catch my breath, staring out to the right. The view was amazing – it was like being in another world. Puffy white clouds stretched out as far as the eye could see, blurring in with the blue of the sky on the horizon line. Each crest was different, like the work of a painter. Further up above us was another layer, thin and wispy, letting in ample amounts of sunlight. An empty, secluded section of the world reserved for me, my Pokemon, Steven, and Latios. Everything else was insignificant. My breathing slowed and I relaxed my grip on whatever I was leaning against – what was that, again…?

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Steven's modulated voice took me by surprise. I locked up. I was pretty much hugging him. Or, had been. Alarmed, I scooted backwards.

He picked up one hand and ran it through his hair. Was he trying to fix it? It was normally pretty messy, so I couldn't imagine it could've gotten very messed up. Mine, on the other hand…

"We should be up here for quite some time, though I'm not sure where Latios might land, so be careful in case it decides to descend without warning," he said.

I hummed in acknowledgement, reluctantly keeping my arms around the man. _Well, he's not complaining…_ Feeling as comfortable as one would get sitting on a small Pokemon hundreds of feet above the ground with virtually nothing securing them in place, I looked back out at the clouds and enjoyed the view.

* * *

It was impossible to tell how much time was passing, but it felt like it'd been at least an hour when Steven finally spoke up again. "It's always nice, up here. To get away from it all." His tone was strangely distant, but I found myself agreeing.

"Away from Team Aqua…" The words slipped out on accident.

He straightened and turned his head around again. "Team Aqua?"

I kept my eyes trained on the horizon.

"…I see. It's as I thought, then – you're the one that's been in the news." The man sobered and shifted back around.

The last news program on the incident I'd seen – a bad memory – surfaced in my mind and I frowned, feeling guilt weigh my heart down. If the family drama hadn't been enough, I'd also inadvertently created more rumors about Devon. I wanted to punch myself. "Sorry… about that. It must have created trouble for your company."

Another strong, salt-scented gale blew up from beneath Latios and I found myself admiring the Pokemon's strength.

Steven was quiet for a few seconds. "…My company? Devon? No, it's no problem. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine, for drawing you into this in the first place." He tensed. "Or, rather, my father's, for having you deliver the Devon Goods."

I turned to look at him. His smooth hair matched the color of the clouds, ruffled by the wind. It really didn't carry on that businessman look he had going.

"In any case," he continued, hesitating, "Aqua isn't something either of us can ignore. I don't mean to draw you further into this, but I'm afraid that if the rumors about you beating Archie in a Pokemon battle are true – which I thoroughly believe – then there's no turning back, now."

A wry smile crawled onto my face. "Heh, I beat him alright. Sent him running away, tail between his legs." Okay, it's a bit of an exaggeration.

Steven paused, searching for words, and then replied, "Is that how you were wounded, by any chance?"

_Wounded?_ I found myself once again aware of the dull aching in my leg. "I… barely. Nah, it was just a biking accident."

He stayed silent, still very tense. I sighed and stopped trying to figure out what the stoic man was thinking.

The quiet dragged on for a few more minutes, filled in with the constant whirring of the wind and the occasional high-pitched hum from Latios, before the Pokemon's wings shifted again and we started losing altitude, fast.

"What's going-" I didn't have time to finish my inquiry. The daring Dragon-type curved downwards until it was doing something dangerously close to a nosedive. My heart, stomach, and whatever else seemed to float up into my neck and I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling tears form at the corners of them. _NOT AGAAAIN!_

_Fwwwsshhh!_ In an instant we were through the clouds and free-falling towards a huge mass of mist, standing out among the deep blue of the ocean. I clung on once again for dear life, but despite my internal screeching no sound was escaping my lips. The wind was cold and surrounded me, lifting me off of Latios, and for ten whole seconds – _one, two, three…_ \- I was in the void, ducking my head behind Steven, arms probably squeezing out any remaining air from his lungs. The ocean, which had previously been still like a clay sculpture, became more and more rigid as it came into detail and as I just barely peeked out I could spot white crests and shadowy silhouettes beneath the surface.

Putting my trust in the Pokemon, I held my breath and closed my eyes. There was a blast of cool air as we cut through the mist and then, just as I felt as though I was about to pass out, Latios slowed.

"We're here..."

I sat back and looked up. Sure enough, Latios was still, hovering over a patch of green. _Land_. On instinct, I pulled out the Pokenav from my bag and looked at the screen, and from the corner of my eye noticed that Steven was doing the same with his. I wasn't sure what I'd expected – no reception? Location unknown? _Johto? _But sure enough, there was a small green dot on the screen and a title beside it.

**SOUTHERN ISLAND**

* * *

**A/N: **woooow this chapter became WAY longer than I thought it would be (what else is new?) but since Steven hasn't shown up much and he's listed as one of the MCs I thought I'd include the Latios bit.

May talks tough but it turns out she's just as affected by Steven's dreamboat status as we all are...

I don't think I've mentioned this before but I am aware of the canon character ages as of ORAS, and as you probably already know I'm not going by them in this fic. Not just because I started this before they were even announced, but again, it's for the darker tone (that and I don't know if I'd be able to write the point of view of a 12 year old lol) (Also, I want to restate this for reassurance in case anyone is creeped out by the cutesy shit I wrote in this chapter between May and Steven because in ORAS there's a huge age gap and may is like an Actual Child, which would make it super weird and yeah)

Like, I'll leave it open to whatever anyone's HCs are but I'm generally going with Wally early teens, May/Brendan late teens, Steven early 20s.


	24. May and Latias

**Chapter 24: Southern Island; May and Latias**

…

_Chapter X: The Eon Pokemon_

_ **Overview**_

_ To the right, pictured: an artist's rendition of the legendary Latias and Latios_

_ …_

_ Two Pokemon, possibly siblings. Latias is speculated to be red, while Latios, blue. They have a smooth layer of down feathers and are able to turn themselves completely invisible to man's eyes. They are highly rare and seldom reveal themselves to humans. There are a number of encounters with a Lati- throughout the past few centuries; legend states that the Pokemon only trust Trainers with incredible compassion and pure hearts. The details of this requirement are unknown, so planned encounters with the Lati- are impossible. They are mysterious Pokemon still being studied through secondary resources._

_ **Latios**_

_ Male, around 2m in length, white with blue accents. The stronger of the duo. Most likely the sibling of Latias. Timid, but not docile. Highly protective; will attack if Latias is threatened. Dangerous. Able to vanish as a defensive measure._

_ **Latias**_

_ Female, around 1.5m in length, white with red accents. Weaker and more vulnerable. Timid, highly docile. Less accounts of aggression towards humans with Latias than with Latios. Able to vanish as a defensive measure. Apparently highly sensitive to human emotions._

_ Both Pokemon could be much more intelligent than we assume. May possibly possess mind control powers. If you believe you have credible information and are willing to provide it, please contact the author._

_ **Southern Island**_

_ Rumored to be the home of the duo. Often sighted by ships lost at sea. Covered in shroud of mist, making it appear as a cloud on the horizon. Further information on ecosystem unknown. Coordinates unknown. Existence has been confirmed by numerous sources across the past two hundred years by sailors. Attempts to find the island are useless; sailors attempting to return find that the landmass is nowhere to be seen._

_ **Soul Dew**_

_ Mysterious artifact that may be related to the Lati- duo. Small orb, around .3m in diameter. Often drawn in historical texts in relation to the Eon Pokemon. Sought out as a treasure, and also as a possible power source._

* * *

"Southern… Island…?" Steven sighed and snapped his Pokenav shut, looking mystified. "This is…"

I slid off of Latios, relief flooding through me as my shoes made contact with solid ground. The grass was mushy and damp, most likely from the heavy mist. But it was _land_, dammit! "There's no way… I-I read about this place recently. Latios and Latias – they must live here."

He raised an eyebrow. "You've done your research. I'm impressed. In any case, we should make haste…" Walking past me, Steven placed one hand on Latios' head once more. "Thank you, Latios."

_Why are they so comfortable with each other, I wonder…? Is Latios… Steven's _Pokemon_?... No, no way._ The thought was almost humorous.

Still agitated, the Pokemon hummed a response and then hovered off into the fog, leaving Steven and I alone. Tension seemed to hang in the air, mingling with the vapor, not between him and I but between us and whatever was lurking within the heart of the island. The trees and plants were so still, so quiet – too quiet – and the only moving thing seemed to be the clouds of mist sluggishly rolling across the landscape, melting between the hills. Like time itself had stopped. I thought back to the book. _This really is a legendary place… To think _I'd _be allowed to come here…_ The crashing of waves had been snuffed out, bringing an eerie silence over the place. The only audible sounds were the light breathing of Steven and I as we gazed into the forest.

He was the first to move, stepping forwards through the muck and onto something that just barely resembled a path. He was quiet for a long time, scanning the scenery, just as confused as I, and then finally spoke. "This feeling… it's offsetting… To think this island actually exists…" The man seemed to be at a loss for words, breathless. "It's eerie… I don't feel fear or unease, but just… ethereal. It's like a dream." Steven turned around and I met his gaze, hoping that his now familiar image would keep me rooted to reality, but the magical landscape seemed to have affected him, too. He almost looked like a spirit, something fantastical, the gray accents of his person blending in with the scenery. "You've heard the legends too, then, May? About Latias and Latios – and this island."

Slowly, I nodded. "This is their home. We – err, humans – can't find it manually."

Steven returned the gesture, bringing a hand to his chin and looking further down the path. "And it seems someone_ did_, which is why Latios was so urgently trying to transport us here. I don't know what kind of secrets this island holds – possibly related to the ancient artifact of the Eon Pokemon, the Soul Dew – but I suspect that whatever is troubling Latias must be here because of it."

I clenched my fists and took a step forwards. "Well, then, let's go. Whatever it is, we have to help Latias."

Steven's expression hardened and he hummed in agreement. "You take the lead. I'll be right behind you." His eyes then flicked to my bag. "Also… if you still have the book you were reading, on the Eon Pokemon – may I borrow it?"

* * *

The path leading through the island had been relatively easy to follow at first, but as we moved deeper into the forest the trees began closing in around us like a tunnel and the fog grew denser. But despite the change in scenery it was still dead quiet aside from the footsteps and moderated breathing of the only two living beings on the island. It was lifeless. The Pokedex wasn't responding either. _Are there… no Pokemon living here, at all?_ I thought back to the story from the book – this overgrown trail was probably only here because of the handful of forlorn sailors that'd stumbled upon this place. There was no telling if it led to the heart of the island or not.

Picking out the textbook in Birch's lab titled '_History of the Hoenn Region: Legendary Pokemon'_ had been no random decision. Back home in Johto, I'd always been exposed to myths and was a devout believer of them even after becoming a teenager and maturing. Other kids my age had moved on to more important things; taking up fishing, for example, or in Jasmine's case, Pokemon caretaking, battling, and managing the lighthouse. It was different, in my case; with my father either on a business trip or off working most of the time, and my mother either caring for the house or working her own job, I was left alone with nothing to do, in limbo. So I read or explored, and either way I learned more and more about Johto's history.

The legend that concerned Olivine City was one of Johto's most prestigious and well-known ones, and was deeply rooted with Ecruteak City's past. After the incident at the Burned Tower and the Tin Tower, Ho-oh and Lugia were said to have vanished. But the sailors and adventurers of Olivine said different; the Whirl Islands, a series of landmasses off of the coast surrounded by erratic and eternal whirlpools, was apparently the home of Lugia, rightfully dubbed the 'beast of the sea'. Contact with it had never been made and so people didn't believe the legends, but the seamen that frequented Olivine's harbor had always spoke of an uneasy feeling overcoming them when they neared the Whirl Islands and an insatiable urge to turn their ships in the opposite direction.

So, for years I dreamed about meeting the Pokemon, as unrealistic as it was. And then we'd moved to Hoenn, and all of that had been thrown away.

Spotting the book among the professor's library had reawakened that interest. _Hoenn has lore_, I'd thought. _A textbook's worth…_ So despite its weight I'd stowed the object away before moving on.

But reading – that was one thing. Experiencing Hoenn's legends… that was another, making the already illusion-like experience of traversing Southern Island feel even more dreamlike.

Any remaining dirt or sand stuck in my shoes was wiped clean as I waded through the now knee-high grass. The moisture clung to not only the air but all of the plants, and, after twenty or so minutes of traveling, me, as well. The cool air was fresh and easy to breath, much unlike the heavy, hot, and salt-scented atmosphere of Hoenn's mainland, but was beginning to give me a chill. Weary – I was growing weary. I once again recalled the previous night – which felt like ages ago – and chomped on the inside of my cheek. _How long will this second wind I got from the ride on Latios last…?_

Suddenly I heard Steven's footsteps stop, and then felt his hand close around mine. My stomach lurched until he spoke and tugged on it, pulling me back. "Shh… Stay still."

I locked up, trying to keep my hands from shaking. _W-what does he mean?!_ Carefully, I turned around to find him gazing intensely into the undergrowth, off to our right. _What…_

Then, reluctantly, he released my hand, saying, "Go on ahead." Before I could respond Steven stepped into the trees and was swallowed up by the island.

"W-what…" My head spun. _What is he…? Did he just?_ I inched forwards to the point where he'd disappeared but then stopped. This wasn't the right way. This whole time something seemed to be guiding me and driving me forwards, subconsciously, and I hadn't noticed it until I'd stepped off of the track. _It can't be helped… I just have to keep moving._

Steven's mysterious nature was really starting to get under my skin.

* * *

Footsteps. Two pairs, aside from his and May. He'd heard them loud as day, though May seemed to not have. It only made sense; spending so much time in caves, listening for Pokemon, made him accustomed to picking up otherwise unnoticeable noises. And it was clear that the young woman knew where she was headed – much to his surprise she had been plowing through the woods like she knew the place, following some kind of path that Steven couldn't see. It could have been a coincidence, he'd thought, her just being reckless, but he preferred the other explanation; that somehow, she was being drawn to Latias and the heart of Southern Island. It was that hidden potential he'd sensed at their first encounter, the one that had shown through after her conquest against Team Aqua.

After a minute or two of walking, Steven stopped again, feeling dread creep up his spine. The footsteps had stopped, and now he could hear neither theirs nor May's. Suddenly he felt claustrophobic among the bizarre scenery, like the mist was closing in on him – _Steven_, one who could stay clamped up in a tiny crawlspace for hours hunting for stones.

Then, noise. Behind him, in a tree.

"Well, well… Who could this be?"

Steven spun around on his heel, hand flying to a Pokeball instantly. That voice… "Courtney!"

The Magma Admin, differentiated from the rest of the grunts by only her longer skirt and short dark hair, stood perched on a branch beside a male grunt and a Mightyena. The grunt, after looking over Steven, whispered something in the woman's ear; then, her voice, cruel and piercing, cut through the fog and stung Steven's ears: "How interesting it is, to see you here… Thwarting our plans once more? I would have thought you'd given up after what happened with Mr. Stone..."

"Metang!" Ignoring the girl's words, Steven released the Pokemon at his belt and prepared for battle. It was the weakest of his team, still, but had quickly become his favorite after it nearly won him the entire match with the former Champion not too long ago. "Metal Claw!"

Courtney yelped as the Steel-type darted forwards, just barely leaping out of the way as it raked its claws across the branch.

The Mightyena began roaring as the two Magma members got to their feet but did not run ahead. Metang, meanwhile, withdrew back in front of Steven. He gritted his teeth – _if I can just keep her here long enough for May to get Latias to safety…_

"Ma'am, I'm picking up increased activity from the center of the island!" reported the grunt, flicking through a PDA.

She glanced at the device and then rested her hands on her hips. "Understood. We cannot waste any more time here. Latios may have chased us into the woods the first time, but… It's not here anymore." She smirked at Steven, who was still battle-ready. "We have an assignment to complete. If you're wise, you won't pursue us."

With that, the two retreated into the fog.

Steven ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. _Did they already get to Latias once? This is bad… Latios must have sent them back into the woods, long enough for it to find me and bring me here… But…_ He swallowed and hurried after the duo, Metang beside him.

* * *

The path seemed as though it'd go on forever, winding left and right and up and down, and for a while I was convinced I was going in circles. Just as I was pulling out my Pokenav to call Steven – my irritation with him had been growing the more I thought about him – I stumbled and my foot slammed against something hard.

"Ow, ow! Augh!" I turned around, face screwed up. It'd almost sounded like metal. Yes, there it was – whatever I'd stubbed my toe on _was _metal, shiny and gray, covered in weeds and vines. It stood at around 3 feet tall, and, in the otherwise natural environment, looked very out of place. Crossing my arms, I started back to examine it:

_"Th- wh- mem-de se- to carv- th-rts…"_

_Huh?_ The words were faint, worn down, but many of the letters were still intact. Gears in my head began to turn, faster and faster, until a phrase popped into my mind.

"Those whose memories fade seek to carve them in their hearts…"

I frowned. _Memory_? _What's something like this doing out here?_ Steven's words that had earlier seemed speculative now echoed through my pounding head: _"It's eerie… I don't feel fear or unease, but just… ethereal. It's like a dream."_

My heart pounded in my chest. Mysteries – so many mysteries. The sign, Latias, the intruders, why Latios had taken me…

No sooner did the trees part and I found myself stumbling into a clearing. The mist was thin enough that the entire meadow was visible, a smooth blend of every shade of green imaginable with two blue lines running in a circle around it. Taking in another breath of the crisp air, I started down into the center of the clearing where a small figure lay nestled in the long, wind-trodden grass. _That must be… Latias?_

The island's silence had finally been broken by the soft whispering of the two brooks on either side of the clearing. I skidded down the last section of the slope and onto the grass. The eeriness lingering on the hairs of my neck faded, replaced with an unexpected serenity.

Then, hearing rustling behind me, I stopped and turned around.

Steven.

He emerged rather explosively from the undergrowth, in around the same spot I had, spotted me, and started down the ravine. I watched him maneuver easily around boulders and steep spots like it was nothing. _Figures – he probably does this all the time. _Still, I wasn't used to registering the image of a nicely-dressed young man with that of a geologist. Or a businessman. As he grew closer, I narrowed my eyes, spotting something unusual: at his belt, just beneath the edge of his suit… Were those… Pokeballs?

"May," he sounded out of breath as he stepped up to me, "this is it?"

I nodded and turned to the center of the clearing, where Latias lay. "Yes." _Weird… what's up with him…? _Steven was glancing around, brow furrowed, shifting his feet restlessly. Another side of him I'd never seen and didn't know how to deal with. _And how did he get here so quickly…?_

"We should hurry, then," Steven responded, robotically. "Whatever was harming it could still be around."

The two of us waded through the dew-laden grass, another layer of tension added to the already thick air. Around me, the island spread out for a good ten yards before the streams framed it, like a moat, and beyond that the ground sloped back upwards into the woods. Yes – this was the heart of Southern Island. The tugging at my feet was gone now.

Latias lay at the center of the knoll, curled up. Its white form was strikingly similar to that of Latios', as expected, but it was smaller and seemed to be frailer. Its eyes were pinched shut and with each of the shallow breaths it took, its frame would tremble.

I stiffened at the sight. "Is… is it hurt? I don't see any wounds… should we wake it?"

Steven was in just as much awe as I was and knelt down in the mush, moving like he was going to touch its head as he did with Latios but not completing the action. "L…Latias?"

I watched the Pokemon, entranced. For a few seconds it was unresponsive, but then, with a twitch of its ears, it hovered into the air. I found myself face-to-face with two bright, excited golden eyes, and took a step back. Latias. This was _Latias…_ Despite its apparent injuries it seemed energetic, as the book had said. Swallowing, I looked the Pokemon over. It _seemed_ fine-

"There," I blurted out as a dark blotch on the Pokemon's side caught my eye, "that's it…"

Steven walked over to examine the injury further while I made awkward eye contact with Latias. It seemed curious – _it was probably only expecting Steven…_ I put on a big smile for the Pokemon and gave it a thumbs-up. "Um, hi, there. I'm May."

It hummed softly in response, almost like it'd understood, and I raised my eyebrows.

Latias appeared proud at first, but winced in pain and cried out as Steven began spraying a potion on the area.

I frowned, trying to get a good look at the injury. "A burn mark… Weird." _I was expecting Team Aqua, but I guess I was wrong…_

"This is the worst of it, but I'm sure Latias is hurt in other places, as well. Now I understand why Latios was rushing…"

Shifting and giving the Pokemon another weak smile, I asked, "What do you mean? Why did you walk off like that, earlier?"

He stood up, apparently done with his work, and turned to me. "I… I found them. The people that were here… They were deep in the woods. From what I understand they came and attacked Latias and Latios for some reason, but Latios chased them into the woods before leaving to find me. It must have known it wouldn't be able to handle them on its own…" He looked over to Latias. "Is that right, Latias?"

With a chirp, the Pokemon inclined its head.

Now I had even more questions. "Wait, you saw them? What were they like? Did you battle them? Why were they here – _how _were they here…?" They spilled out and I immediately felt like an idiot because Steven's gaze had wandered and his attention was focused elsewhere – up beyond me, into the trees. Biting my lip, I turned around. "What are you looking a-"

"Shit, watch out! May! Latias!" Before I could finish my sentence I felt a hand roughly shove me forwards. Taken aback, I stumbled and fell face-first into the grass.

_What the hell was that for-_

_CRASH! Sssssss…_ I jumped at the sound. Behind me, right where I'd been standing… was a huge, glowing, red-hot fireball. I locked up, staring wide-eyed at the sight. It seemed so out of place, a searing explosion flickering and licking at the damp, misty air. Was it real? The heat blowing by my face certainly was. Shaking my head, I got back to my feet and found Steven on the other side of the fireball and Latias cowering back near the pedestal.

"Poochyena!" A strong voice cut through the fog. "Get to that Pokemon!"

It was followed by a feminine voice, quieter but equally menacing. "Camerupt, use Eruption again!"

_Eruption!?_ Frantically, I searched the forest's rim, finding two figures cloaked in red making their way downhill towards us, flanked by a Poochyena and a huge orange quadruped. _Who-_

Then there was more rumbling and a roar from the unfamiliar Pokemon. I gasped. _Its back – it's… smoking?! Was that where the fire came from…?_ Panicking, I glanced over my shoulder. Latias was cowering in the grass again, whining softly, and further back Steven was wiping his brow and drawing… a Pokeball?

"Metang, Metal Claw!" My eyebrows shot up as the young man threw the device into the air. _How weird…_ I thought. _It's like a whole different person… _The Pokeball exploded in the usual white light, and out of it emerged a turquoise, disc-shaped Pokemon. Subconsciously my hand touched the surface of the Pokedex but no sooner did Metang zoom forwards to meet the aggressor's Pokemon in combat.

"May, you too!" Steven's tone was strangely urgent, but it snapped me from my trance and I nodded.

I considered the Pokemon I had on me and made a split decision, choosing Wingull. Approaching the Fire-type up close didn't seem like a good idea – and Wingull had more ranged attacks. Within seconds of the first man's command Steven and I were battling intensely against the two, barely avoiding the powerhouse Camerupt's attacks, and all the while trying to keep Poochyena from reaching Latias. The two were relentless and unexpectedly powerful – and so was Steven. I cast him a curious gaze every few seconds – just a moment ago he'd seemed like a normal explorer-slash-noble, a rich guy, an heir and possible bachelor, and now he was just as much a trainer as me or Brendan, totally engulfed in the battle.

But I didn't have much time to take everything in – just was I was about to call out Wingull's fourth attack the girl shouted, "Stop!"

Her comrade obeyed, snapping his feet together and addressing the woman, almost like she was his superior. Likewise Poochyena heeled and Camerupt simmered down. Confused, I looked to Steven – who was giving the woman a wary glare – and then called Wingull back, too.

The silence of the island closed in once more, interrupted only by the eternal rushing of the streams and the hissing of singed grass. The two trainers stepped in close to each other and started speaking in hushed tones, faces still concealed by their maroon hoods.

It was then that I realized I recognized those outfits. The black and red, the "M" on their chests... "Steven, I… I know who these guys are."

He hesitated and then returned my gaze, still very uneasy. "Do you…?"

"Well, then," the female suddenly spoke up and the two of us turned back to the Team Magma duo, "it seems a fight is no longer beneficial to us – to Team Magma. The benefits attained by acquiring the treasure present at this island – the Soul Dew – are no longer relevant…" She then reached up and tossed her hood back, revealing short, dark hair, and a petite but cruel face.

Steven clenched his fists. I shifted and looked over the duo again; those were definitely the same uniforms I'd seen in Meteor Falls and on Mt. Chimney, and her words just confirmed that. _But if that's the case…_ I tensed. _Why are they attacking us? Why are they here? Shouldn't they be trying to stop Aqua…?_

I looked up to find the girl narrowing her eyes at me. "You… You're sure this is the one?"

The man beside her nodded once more. "I apologize for not recognizing her at first, Courtney, ma'am."

After a moment of hesitation, the woman stepped forwards, grunt flanking her, cool eyes not leaving mine. I gritted my teeth and stumbled backwards and suddenly they were both right in my face, watching me with scrutinizing, dark eyes. What had seemed a neutral force, or possible ally, before, was now menacing; their red attire hung off of their small, pale frames like robes, and they stood up noticeably straight, like military officers. The face of their leader flashed through my mind – Maxie. He'd been strange, but hadn't come off as a villain.

"Good call, grunt. She certainly is." Her voice was rather emotionless but held an air of amusement. With another nod they backed off.

I let out a breath. _What was that? Uhg… what's going on…?_ Steven, standing a few feet away, looked even more shocked than me. _Does he know who Team Magma is, I wonder…? If Devon's and Magma's enemies are both Aqua, wouldn't that make them allies, in a sense…?_

Courtney gave Latias a sour glare before saying, "We'd best report back to Maxie." A pause, then, in a sweet, friendly tone: "It turns out Team Aqua was not on this island after all… So, our mission here is done. The Soul Dew is safe!" Turning away from us, the girl pulled out a radio and began speaking quietly into it, while her grunt, looking as distressed as ever, looked from her, to me, to Steven, and back to her.

"Team Magma… I don't know what you're doing here, but I won't allow you monsters to harm Latias or Latio-"

"Fear not, Steven Stone," the admin spoke up, "the primary target is Aqua, of course. You and those Pokemon are a low priority." Suddenly her gaze moved back over to me. "_You,_ on the other hand… Interesting. Let's go, grunt. We must report back to Maxie."

With that, the two disappeared into the mist, which had grown thicker since the battle subsided. Steven stepped forwards as if he was going to chase them but then stopped himself and took a deep breath.

"Team Magma…" I muttered, trying to sort out my cluttered thoughts. "I guess they were only here to protect Latias, not hurt it."

My only response was silence. Steven was staring at me, an incredulous and almost _offended_ expression on his face.

"…What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "They just ran off. They probably recognized me and realized we weren't part of Aqua."

The trainer didn't seem to hear me, having drifted off into his own world. Meanwhile, Latias was humming again and flying in our direction. I brushed off the man's behavior and turned to it.

"_Tiiiii_!" The Pokemon, despite the battle, seemed friendlier than ever, and completely unexpected it nuzzled its head up to my stomach, beneath my arms.

"W-whoa!" Hesitantly I placed one hand on its head, as Steven had with Latios. Immediately it cooed and leaned in further. Before I knew it I fell back into the grass, laughing confusedly at the Pokemon's friendliness. "W-what's gotten into you, Latias…?"

"_Ti!_" The Pokemon started hovering around in circles, now, repeating the _ti _noise over and over. Then, noticing Steven, who was still standing there like a scarecrow, it flew over and bumped into _him._

Curiously, I pulled out the Pokedex.

_"Latias, the Eon Pokemon. Latias is highly intelligent and capable of understanding human speech. It is covered with a glass-like down. The Pokemon enfolds its body with its down and refracts light to alter its appearance."_

I blinked. _The Pokedex actually has some data on it… _"So, it really can understand humans… ? Amazing…" I wondered at the Pokemon with newfound admiration. Sure, my team understood basic words and attack names, but this was on a different level.

Upon hearing its name – or maybe the whole entry – the Dragon-type straightened and flew back over to me, having finally reawakened Steven. Its saffron eyes watched the device in my hand closely. _Even if it can, it still acts like a puppy… _

Steven looked to me again, resting his hands in his pockets. "That was a good battle, May, as short as it lasted. It's nice to know you're willing to fight for the protection of this Pokemon… and it seems to understand that, too, which is why it's so attached to you. Right, Latias?"

The Pokemon hummed. It was a strange feeling – though the Pokemon acted so immaturely, it felt like I was looking into the eyes of another human being, one supremely more wise and purehearted than I. _Of course – it's a Legendary Pokemon._  
"We're lucky," I laughed. "We got here in time. We saved Latias!"

* * *

Steven gave the trainer a weak smile. She was full of optimism, but unfortunately, the situation was full of mysteries, unfilled holes spilling out dread and malice. Why had Team Magma been here? How did they get here? Why had they backed off? One of those questions _was _answered, though, Steven realized as he approached the pedestal. Worn, cracked, and covered in weeds, it was obvious the thing had been here for an unimaginable amount of time. But the item sitting on top of it was, in contrast, shiny and as clear as the pristine water running around the meadow.

The Soul Dew.

Standing there, he felt Latias' gaze turn to him. Undoubtedly the item and the Pokemon were connected, and despite how tantalizing it was he did not reach out to touch it in fear of upsetting both Latias and Latios. Truthfully, he had no idea what the object was capable of, if anything; why the Eon Pokemon protected it. May's book had provided little on this subject. And the fact that Magma apparently _did _made his blood run cold. As unpredictable as the two teams were, he'd been one step ahead of them up until the Devon Goods incident, where May had stepped in.

"Why…?" He tugged on his bangs, sighing. "Why the Soul Dew…?"

May, meanwhile, was distracted with Latias as it continued hovering around her. He watched for a moment, absently. It was much different from its brother, in that aspect. _Latios – that's right, _Steven realized, approaching the two. "We should head back and find Latios. I'm sure Latias will need time to recover… But I'm positive you'll meet it again sometime, in the future, May."

* * *

"Sir, we're on the island."

_"Did you obtain its treasure?_" came a controlled voice from the other end of the line.

The girl frowned, stepping over another rotting log. "…No. There was a complication…"

Silence. She kept her eyes forward, ignoring the curious glances the grunt beside her was casting in her direction.

"You see, we believe we encountered _that_ trainer."

Shifting, from the other end. _"_'That_ trainer'…?"_

"The one from Mt. Chimney, sir," spoke the grunt all of the sudden, voice wavering. Courtney snapped her head in his direction, cold eyes drilling holes in his head.

_"I see… Interesting. After providing Team Aqua with that information I would have assumed she would have been taken care of already… This certainly does complicate things."_

"Sir, we've retreated, but we can return and retrieve it immediately if necessary. And she was not alone – there was a man with her, awfully familiar – he was probably the one from before. Devon's."

_"No,"_ the response was quick, _"you've taken the correct course of action, Courtney. We cannot afford to sully our image in front of that girl, not yet… She could still play a key role in the acquisition of Groudon. The item there – the Soul Dew – was chosen for investigation only out of exploratory means. If it had any connection to the Red and Blue orbs, I've realized… I am sure there would have been signs."_

Courtney continued trudging through the forest, scowling whenever a stray branch would reach out and bar the way. And it was _wet_ – damn this fog! She had half a mind to burn her way through with Camerupt. "Understood, sir."

_"And the other issue I should discuss with you… It seems Team Aqua has been congregating somewhere in East Hoenn… Report back immediately so that you, Tabitha, and I can examine this issue further."_

"Yes, sir."

* * *

The sun was melting into the sea by the time Latios began its ascent into the atmosphere. Already, I felt safer – due partially to the fact that the Pokemon wasn't in a hurry this time. There was the same uncomfortable shift backwards and lurch in my stomach as I watched the white-capped waves grow smaller and blurrier, but once the wind lifted Latios up above the first layer of clouds and the ground was out of sight, I felt at ease.

The Soul Dew, and Latias… _Will I really see that Pokemon again?_ I stared at the turquoise sky, picking out stars as they appeared. _I'd like to…_

Gradually, the sky darkened, and I counted more and more stars until losing track. There was no telling how close we were to the mainland, and I wasn't risking taking out my Pokenav this high in the sky. Stealthily, the moon poked out from the left and shone across the fluffy landscape, causing the wispy tails of the clouds below to glow a soft luminescent blue.

Steven, who'd been as still as a statue for some time now, shifted, and I was brought out of my trance. With nothing else to say, I asked, "How much further do you think it is?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure… Latios is going at its own pace right now. Sorry. If it was anywhere else I'd be able to give you an estimate, but… I really have no idea where Southern Island is in relation to Hoenn."

"That's okay," I replied. "It's nice up here."

More silence. Latios drifted through the crest of a large cloud but showed no signs of descending.

Itching to get answers but unable to ask the questions, I blurted out, "I-I never thought someone like you would be this comfortable with flying."

Steven turned around, one eyebrow raised. "What do you mean…?"

_Oh, geez, he didn't get the joke. _"Well, you know!" I improvised, "since you're a geologist and all, always cooped up in caves."

He blinked in understanding, relaxing his shoulders. "Ah, I see. No, it's nice to get out every once in a while. And I'm not officially a geologist – everyone just tends to call me one." He shrugged. "It's just a hobby."

"Oh." I still wasn't getting anywhere with the whole _answers _thing, but learning something new about Steven wasn't all that bad. "S-so, then… full-time, you work for your father, at Devon?"

He shook his head, sobering. "No, not particularly. My 'full-time' profession… that would be, the same as you."

I straightened, scratching my head. "Pokemon training?"

Placing one hand at his belt where I'd seen the Pokeballs clipped earlier, Steven nodded. "Much to my father's dismay, of course. I'm sure he'd rather have me helping out with the company, but by going off on a journey I could experience both of my passions – training, and exploring caves."

I stared, processing this new piece of information. So he _was _a trainer. Maybe that's why Brawly and Wallace had mentioned him – was he taking on the Gym challenge, like me? I was about to challenge Steven to a battle – once we landed, of course – when he spoke up again, turning back to face forwards.

"Team Magma, May… You've encountered them before, yes?"

I shifted and sat back, looking up at the stars. They spilled across the sky like glitter, and watching them made the distance between Latios and the ocean feel like nothing. "They were at Mt. Chimney. They helped stop Team Aqua."

Steven tensed. "And… Maxie. You met their leader?"

"Yeah," I replied, nonchalantly.

He let out a long sigh and reached forwards to pet Latios' neck. "Be wary of them. They aren't allies."

Furrowing my brow, I asked what he meant.

"Aqua and Magma are one and the same when it comes down to it. They're criminal groups posing as environmental activists. I haven't figured out their intentions yet – in harassing my father and stealing the Devon Goods – but I'm working against them."

I was lost, so lost. Aqua, _and_ Magma? Bad guys? It didn't make sense – 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend', right? If they were against us why did they pull back at the island? _And how… _the thought crept up on me and I stared at the back of Steven's head, silver hair shining in the moonlight, _can I be sure I can trust Steven?_ … _No, that's stupid. After all, Latios trusts him…_

"And, May," he spoke up again, glancing over his shoulder, "please don't tell anyone I told you this. Information circulates fast here and the odds are already against us with Aqua and Magma."

My head was spinning but I felt it incline in understanding. Dizzy… This fuzzy feeling, preventing me from continuing the conversation all of the sudden… Despite the wicked height we were at, between the cool wind, Latios' steady flying, the comforting scenery, and the warmth of both the Pokemon and the trainer seated in front of me, I was exhausted and it was hitting me all at once.

Dangerous, discomforting thoughts – of Aqua, of my father's anger, of the Gym challenge remaining, threatened to resurface in my head and I pushed them away, taking in the sight of the poofy silver clouds again. _So tired… _Exhaling, I leaned forwards and let my thoughts drift. _I wish I could stay here forever._


	25. Route 119

**Chapter 25 – Adventure on Route 119**

Brendan yawned as he reentered the Mauville city limits, stretching his tanned arms up over his head. A warm twilight, teeming with the chirps of cicadas and June bugs, was setting across the fields. _Cicadas, _he thought, humming to himself. _What month is it, again…? Summer is flying by._

He'd just come out of New Mauville, having shut off the facility's power at Wattson's request. It seemed like just yesterday that he'd won the gym battle against the man, but in reality it had been weeks ago. Battling through the scarce amount of Pokemon living there had been nothing challenging, but the place had given off a creepy vibe – much unlike the land surrounding it. Brendan was ready to relax for the rest of the night. After all, he'd need as much rest as he could get, with Route 119 being his next destination.

His conversation with his dad echoed through his mind once more as he walked. On his way over to Mauville, he'd gotten the call – it was about May. He hadn't sounded _too _serious, but apparently his dad wanted him to keep a look out for her and tell him if he saw her. Brendan was a little confused at this, knowing it had something to do with the argument she'd had with her family back in Littleroot, but didn't delve much deeper into it. It wasn't much of his business.

In any case, he, strangely enough, hadn't seen or gotten word from May at all. Wattson hadn't seen her, and neither had that Wally kid, the one she'd apparently made friends with. She'd probably just gotten a head start on him into Route 119 – which could take anywhere from a few days to a month to traverse – but either way, it was a little discomforting. He'd been planning on meeting up with her and heading to Fortree City together – secretly, he was interested in how she was raising her Pokemon – but, he decided, crossing his arms, that'd just have to wait. There was no reason to worry – if she was still unheard of once he reached Fortree, then he'd deal with that, then.

The street lamps flickered to life as Brendan entered downtown Mauville, illuminating the swarms of mosquitoes and moths fluttering around in the air. It was a weeknight, so the streets weren't too populous, and a few blocks ahead was the red roof of the Pokemon Center. Taking his time, the trainer swerved off to the left down a side street until reaching the Pokemon Gym. _Gotta check in with Wattson!_

Sure enough, the man was standing outside, chucking and waving at a passing couple who were walking an Elektrike. Upon crossing the street, Brendan was noticed by the man and he beckoned him over.

"Evening! I hope everything went well!"

Brendan grinned and gave a small salute. "Yup, it's all good. No problems. But that's a neat project, ya had there. Ever think of expanding it?"

Wattson scratched his chin, taking on an uncharacteristic air of seriousness. "Hmm… I've always dreamed of modernizing Mauville, as you know. It's not that I'm not capable –"he gestured to the gym behind him, shining brightly in the night like a beacon. "But I think the town's good just the way it is, wahahaha! This is the way it was when I grew up, and I don't wanna take any chances in changing it, y'know? I've given up on those dreams."

Brendan huffed. "I hear ya. Well, it was nice talking to you, sir. If you ever want a rematch, you know who to call! That is, if you're not retired by then."

Wattson laughed and gave the boy a pat on the shoulder. "There's that sense of humor you and your old man are known for! Go on now, kid! Wahahaha, goodnight!"

Grinning, Brendan mounted his bike and started back towards the Pokemon Center. As much as he wanted to stay around and stop in Mauville's shops and the Game Corner, he had a long trek to prepare for and supplies to pack. _Feather Badge, here I come!_

* * *

Steven ran one hand through his hair as Latios skimmed along the top of the sea towards the seashore where it had first appeared earlier that day. The whisper of the wind quickly died down, replaced with the distant buzzing of the jungle just a few hundred yards inland. He flipped open his Pokenav to check the time: 10:01PM. Not too late – he still had the time and energy to hike onto the plains of Route 123, where it was comfortable and significantly safer to camp out.

But the same could not be said for May. She'd grown quiet in the past twenty or so minutes, and it was understandable. He felt bad for her – guilty, even. He couldn't bring himself to say what his father wanted him to say – to apologize for her involvement in the whole issue – but he still pitied her.

However, after today's excursion, Steven had newfound confidence in the trainer. He hadn't been expecting her to be that involved, that helpful, and boy had that resourcefulness come in handy. And the connection she had with Latias – that was a surprise, too. But, just as he'd predicted, May was capable. Determined, and a little headstrong, but capable, nonetheless.

Scoffing, he spoke up. "Here we are… This should be the same spot we left from."

Steven awaited a reply from the trainer, but got none. Not even a movement, like if she were looking around. And she hadn't let go of him, despite Latios having slowed down, and there was a slight pressure on his back, like-

* * *

_Johto… Why am I in Johto? _I thought as I surveyed my surroundings. It wasn't Olivine, but from the huge, looming trees surrounding me and the silhouette of a familiar tower on the horizon, I could feel it – this was Johto. The air was crisp, the ground was uneven, and every few seconds there was a strange noise echoing across the landscape that I recognized as the call of a Noctowl.

I sighed. It seemed like forever ago that we'd left for Hoenn. Exploring the remote mountains of northern Johto, meeting all the Pokemon I'd seen in battles on TV – what a dream that was.

_A dream…_ I sat up, gazing into the woods.

"_…This should be the same spot we left from."_

_Hmm…? _Suddenly the world around me blurred, darkened, and was no sooner replaced with another one. A beautiful scene – the ocean melting into the land, dark blue speckled with moonlight pressing against the dark mass of green that was Hoenn. _That's right… Latios, and Steven… Are we finally…?_

"May?" Steven spoke up again and I inhaled sharply. Embarrassed, but warm, nonetheless, I sat up and slid back.

"Whoops, hahahahaha! Guess I fell asleep!" I exclaimed, shoving my hands in my pockets and feeling my face heat up. _Oh geez, talk about a mess!_ "I had a long day yesterday and didn't get a lot of sleep, so…!"

In my peripheral vision I noticed Steven's expression fall. "Is that so…? If you're not feeling well, you should take a break at Mauville's Pokemon Center. The journey ahead to Fortree is rough, believe me."

"Uhh-huhh…" I collected myself and then met the trainer's worried gaze. "I'm alright, really. I just travelled a lot. My Pokemon and I can handle this."

Reassured, the man nodded and turned around. Latios was just about at the shore now and slowed to a stop, cooing. The two of us jumped off of the Pokemon, landing gracefully in the sand, and Steven said his goodbyes to it before it zipped back up into the clouds. I watched Latios' slick form until it was out of sight completely, pondering whether all that had just happened was even real or not.

"Thank you again, May," Steven's voice once again drew me out of my thoughts – wasn't _he _the one always off in his own little world? – and I nodded at him, tightening my bandanna. "You were of much more help than I expected. These developments with Magma are… troubling."

I hummed in agreement, uneasiness flooding my head once more. "I thought Team Aqua would give up after Mt. Chimney, but… I get the feeling it's not gonna be that easy."

Steven let out a long sigh and ran one hand through his hair. Somehow, the expression made him seem older and more worn out. "Yeah, that's true… We'll just have to keep an eye open for them. Or… _I _will." He gave me an apologetic look. "You should focus on the Gym challenge. I'm sure that's hard enough on its own."

I scoffed and flashed the man a grin. "Hey, I'm not afraid of a bunch of pirates. I've done pretty good so far, right?"

He returned the look and shrugged. "That's true."

A gust of salty air blew in from the ocean, ruffling my hair and rattling the trees beyond the beach. It was dark, but after that nap I was anything but tired. _I wonder… is Steven going the same way? _I looked him up and down – the trainer's eyes were focused on the woods. He was lost in thought again. A little twinge of excitement sparked in my chest – _maybe we could head there together, since he knows the way and I don't…?_

Just then the soothing silence was interrupted by the buzzing of a phone. My hand fell to my pocket but stopped as I saw Steven pull out his own Pokenav. It was lit up, letting off a soft white glow. He tensed as he examined the object, and then, suddenly in a hurry, waved and gave me a brief smile. "Well, I have to take this. Until next time, May."

"Goodbye," I called in response as he turned away and started walking off rather briskly, speaking discreetly into the device. I pouted and was suddenly reminded of who Steven actually was – the son of a business tycoon, a working adult, and a well-off, experienced man. Between the life he lived for his father, the life he lived combatting Aqua and Magma, and whatever his personal life was comprised of, surely he didn't have time to go frolicking through the jungle with a newbie trainer like me.

_But, still…_ I thought back dreamily to the events at Southern Island and turned tail, heading into the woods, following the map of my own Pokenav. It was a long ways to Route 119, and even further to Fortree.

* * *

_The following day_

"Ahhhh, I could use a shower…" I thought out loud.

The intensity of the midday heat had waned a bit, but the humidity seemed to get worse with every step. Each breath was like taking in a gulp of steam. Along with this rise in humidity came more and more plants on either side of the trial, until enormous, tropical ferns were brushing against my knees and a canopy of trees colored all shades of green arched far up over my head.

There were no signs marking Route 119, so I only assumed I was going the right way and forged onwards. As unimaginable as it was, the undergrowth thickened, and before I knew it I had entered a clearing in the forest and the grass all around grew up taller than me.

"Wow," I told Mightyena, "This is amazing! I'd never see anything like this in Johto. I didn't even know grass could get this tall." I squatted down and plucked a blade from the ground, twisting it around in my hands. It was thick and healthy, almost like a vegetable.

Suddenly there was a bristling noise coming from behind me, and I spun around, on guard. Mightyena did the same. My eyes narrowed, and I took another step backwards.

In response, there was another noise, and a patch of grass directly in front of me quivered. Mightyena let out a snarl.

"Who's there?" I called, stepping towards the grass.

Whatever was hiding then moved backwards, away from me, and I frowned. _Is it a Pokemon? _

"Mightyena," I gestured to the grass, and the Pokemon charged forwards, roaring.

There was then a whining sound, and the Dark-type came rolling out, entangled with another mammal Pokemon I didn't recognize. Still on guard, I pulled out my Pokedex.

"_Linoone, the Rushing Pokemon. When hunting, Linoone will make a beeline straight for the prey at a full run. While this Pokemon is capable of topping 60 mph, it as to come to a screeching halt before it can turn._"

"Linoone! Use Fury Swipes!" came a voice from a patch of grass to my left.

I responded by ordering a Bite from Mightyena. The battle worsened, and I stormed into the grass where the enemy trainer's command had come from.

"Ahg! Let go of me!" came a voice as I reached out and grabbed hold of something that felt like a collar. _So there is someone in here!_ I was about to push the kid out when my foot caught on a root and sent both of us flying forwards – right into the tussling Mightyena and Linoone.

"Ow…" I groaned, pulling myself up from a pile of dazed Pokemon and people. Unfortunately, the kid was on the bottom.

"Uhg!" he exclaimed. "What'd you do that for, dammit?!"

I scowled as I helped the two Pokemon off of the boy. "What did _I _do that for? Why are _you_ surprise-attacking trainers and hiding in the grass like that? What do you think you are? A ninja?!"

He got to his feet and gave me a nasty look. "_I'm _part of the Mimic Squad, thank you very much. And that's our battle strategy!"

Already the kid's attitude was getting under my skin. "Well, you shouldn't be surprised if trainers react like that, then. It's a dangerous world."

"Huh? What are you taking this so seriously for, lady? When did you start training? Yesterday? It's just a battle!" He looked incredulous.

I sighed. _Maybe I am just blowing this out of proportion. It's not like he's with Aqua, or anything. He's just some camper_. "Well, I'll battle you, but only if it's fairly."

He agreed, and we battled on somewhat fair terms. Despite Linoone's speed, Mightyena was able to trip it up and get in two powerful Bites – that was all that was necessary to knock the Pokemon out of commission. There were three other trainers hidden in the grass that I had to deal with, all of them calling themselves the "Mimic Squad" as well, but between Mightyena and Wingull I was able to burn through their Bug- and Normal-type teams in little time.

After walking for quite some time, I burst out of the tall grass – it stopped and gave way to normal grass as suddenly as it had sprung up. Ahead of me was a completely different landscape – like I'd gone through some kind of tunnel into another world. The Route was open and sloped upwards. Just ahead of me stretched a river, and beside it a defined pathway. Growing all around were the same amount of tropical plants, bordered by denser jungle on either side of the river, and all sorts of bridges and cliffs were in the distance, like big orange gashes in the endless green. The route alone made the entire section of Hoenn I'd already been through feel miniscule.

Unfortunately, the last vermilion bits of sunlight were now disappearing and my legs – muddy and scraped from the offroad hiking – were quite literally about to give way. I still hadn't switched the bandage, either. _Looks like I'll have to stop here._

I surveyed my surroundings once more. There was a house not too far off to my right. It was covered in vines and pollen, but the light shining through the windows indicated that it was occupied. I didn't feel like begging for a place to stay, and there was still a sliver of worry that my father might still be trying to track me, so that was out of the question. Camping out was an option; I'd done it on plenty of other Routes. But the menacing noises that were rising out of the nearby made my skin crawl – I'd heard plenty of stories about the dangers of nocturnal rainforest animals.

With a sigh, I sauntered over to the nearby river. It was wide and the bottom was nowhere in sight, but flowed lazily. I reached my hand in, and, after a moment of hesitation, took a sip of the water. Despite its murkiness, the water's taste wasn't unbearable, and just as I'd expected, it was freshwater – ideal for washing.

I called out Lombre and surfed across the stream to a small patch of open land on the opposite side, hoping it would promise some privacy. The Pokemon had no problem swimming, and seemed happy to finally be in contact with water again.

Once at the other side, the first thing that caught my eye was an enormous bush at the border between grass and jungle. Childish curiosity caught hold of my heart, and I started towards it.

"Yes," I murmured to myself in thought as I observed the thing up close, "this is definitely…"

My mind flashed back to a brochure I'd seen in Slateport City, advertising a new TM called 'Secret Power' and how it could be used at certain places in the wild to form something trainers called a 'Secret Base'. Among the areas listed as popular Secret Base locations was a bush looking very similar to the one in front of me. Back then, I'd thought it was a silly idea, but now…

"Mightyena!" I threw a Pokeball into the air. "Come out and use Secret Power!"

The Pokemon, as though it had used the move dozens of time before, glowed a bright green and then leapt into the bush. I waited hopefully. After a good minute or two, a clump of the bush's exterior – half my height – fell to the ground, and Mightyena emerged, shaking the twigs and leaves from its fur.

I lit up. "Wow, so this is… A Secret Base? Then… if I go inside…"

My Pokemon practically pushed me forwards. I got on all fours and crawled through the entrance, excitement bubbling up within me. After a moment of stumbling in complete darkness, with branches scratching at my body from either side, I entered… a _room._ The clearing was no bigger than my room at my house in Littleroot, and yet it was incredibly cozy, lit by only the waning light from outside. A thick covering of leaves and twigs served as walls, and in the corner was, to my astonishment, a PC.

I had no idea how the PC got there, and frankly, I didn't care. I was too exhausted, and too excited. More memories of the brochure in Slateport flashed through my head and I hurried over to the machine, loading it up, inserting my Trainer Card… and sure enough, there were the two pieces of furniture I had bought.

* * *

After spending a little too much time enjoying my Secret Base, the day's journey began truly taking its toll and I made my way back down to the river, clad only in pajamas.

The water was as black as the sky above in the deepening night, aside from the reflection of the moon. There wasn't a soul in sight. Yawning, I slipped off my shoes and stepped back in. The feeling of stepping into water that wasn't ice cold was still bizarre to me, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, sitting on the ledge and splashing my feet around for a bit before undoing the bandage.

The cut itself had healed some, but the bruising was still hard to look at. _Gee, of all the places to get injured, I get it from biking in the woods, _I thought to myself with a light laugh. _Figures._

Accompanied by the distant sounds of the jungle's nightlife and the calm flow of the river, I started washing up. A riverside was no substitute for a Pokemon Center, and it was a struggle to keep my clothes dry while rinsing out my hair, but I managed, somehow. The same breeze from earlier in the day continued, and combined with the water, served as a great way to cool down.

Eventually I sat back down and began rewrapping the cut, and my thoughts moved back to Steven Stone.

_Still, I wonder about him, _I thought. _What would he be doing in the middle of Route 118, anyway? And he did give me that TM. And, come to think of it, didn't Brawly call Steven his superior? And that whole thing with Flannery, and that blue-haired freak?_ It was no use. I scolded myself for not questioning him earlier in the day. _I'll never figure that guy out._

Feeling refreshed, I hurried back up to the Secret Base and collapsed on the small mat I'd bought in the Slateport Market. It wasn't a bed, but it also wasn't twigs and mud. And a Secret Base certainly beat traveling throughout the night through a dark, dangerous, and impossibly deep jungle, accompanied only by the buzzing and rustling around me.

"Let's sleep in tomorrow, Mightyena. We've earned it."

The Pokemon snorted in agreement and curled up at my side.

* * *

I woke up late the following day, and decided to continue the hike without any more dawdling in the Secret Base or in the river. The humidity had worsened and the clear sky made for unbearable heat, but I'd gotten sleep and that fact alone was enough to keep me moving. After first crossing the river back to the main section of the Route, we stopped in the house I'd spotted the night before purely out of curiosity.

After standing at the door for a moment – if it could be called a door, since the empty frame was covered in hanging vines and leaves – I pushed my way inside to find a large, well-furnished room, which actually looked normal for a house in the middle of the wild. Except for the Wingull. Yes, the Wingull perched on the cabinets and lying asleep on the floor and poking at birdfeed placed on a table were _definitely _not normal.

Mightyena growled as one landed on its back and began picking through its fur.

"Oh! Hello there!" Came a man's voice, and out from a hallway emerged an, again, relatively normal-looking fellow. A Wingull was perched on his shoulder.

I blinked. "Umm, hi. Sorry for intruding. I was just wondering…"

He nodded. "Yes, yes! I do live here, in the middle of nowhere! I work part-time as a ranger in these parts." He began sifting through a drawer on the other side of the room. "You're a trainer?"

"Yes," I told him.

"Great!" he seemed to find what he was looking for, as he straightened and then bounced towards me. The Wingull chirped loudly. I could only imagine how unbearable living in a house full of those loud Pokemon might be. "We have lots of trainers come by in these parts, since Route 119 is such a long and dangerous path, y'know? Staying overnight, and stuff! We're almost like an unofficial hotel."

I shifted uncomfortably as more and more of the Wingull began to stare at me with those beady eyes of theirs. "Well, that's interesting," I tried my hardest to sound polite, "but I think I should probably get go-"

"Here!" the man chirped. He was starting to remind me of a Wingull himself. I was then handed what looked like a TM – _probably for some Wingull-like move, right? Bird Poop attack?_

Nonetheless, I accepted it. "Oh, err, thank you! …You didn't have to!"

He shook his head. Around twelve Win gulls mimicked the movement. "Nonsense! I've been looking for a trainer like you – experienced, but not too experienced. One that might find use out of the HM for Fly!"

_Fly! _I thought, looking at the item – and the crazy bird man – in a new light. "I- thank you!"

He gave a little salute in reply.

A woman who had been sitting in the corner then stood up and approached us – I must have had mistaken her for a Wingull, as well, as she was wearing a white- and blue- sundress. She was holding a large book, but the cover was facing away from me.

"Trainer, have you been to Mt. Pyre, by any chance?" she questioned. Her eyes were beady and black, though less disturbing than those of the Wingull's. "Or are you coming from Mauville?"

The name rang a bell, but I shook my head. "Mauville. But I have heard of Mt. Pyre…"

She nodded, adjusting the pair of round glasses on her nose. "It's a place where dead Pokemon are honored. You'll find that eastern Hoenn has many more interesting sites than western Hoenn. Speaking of death, you must have heard of the Cave of Origin as well, right?"

I frowned and shook my head once more, blushing. "I-I only just moved here recently."

The woman looked aghast. The Wingulls began covering their beaks with their wings. "You haven't heard of the legend of the Cave of Origin? You really must read up on Hoenn, trainer, if you're planning on exploring this far and – let me guess, challenging the League?"

My frown twisted into a scowl. "…Sorry. Like I said, I just moved here. Is the Cave of Origin some kind of folk tale, or something?"

The couple rolled their eyes at each other. "I bet this poor trainer doesn't even know who the League Champion is."

"You think so?" the male responded.

"The Cave of Origin," the woman went on, moving her scrutinizing gaze back over to me, "is known as the place of Birth and Rebirth. Similar to how Mt. Pyre is a place of death and rest for the spirits of Pokemon, the Cave of Origins is where they are revived and reborn."

Wonder sparked to life in my chest. _A legendary place like that…?_ I thought back to Southern Island – _Could those places be related? I'll definitely have to learn more about it!_

Unfortunately, the story stopped there. Mightyena had been driven over the edge by the Wingull perched on its back, and began snapping its jaws at the Pokemon. Startled, it flew into the arms of the woman, who gasped, before all the other Wingulls in the room began squawking and fluttering around in a panic.

With profuse apologies to the couple, I dragged my Pokemon out of the house and sighed.

* * *

The next few days were spent exploring Route 119 and digging deeper and deeper into the jungle. The scenery grew more spectacular the further in I traveled; the vegetation got lusher, the sounds surrounding me became wilder, and the sights became jaw dropping. Ferns and large plants began closing in on the trail again, and at some points I had to have my Pokemon come out and help cut a way through the greenery, but at other points, the trail would open up to a huge canyon crossable by a rickety wooden bridge.

I hadn't realized how far upwards the climb had been from the bottom of Route 119 until I got to the second of these bridges, and looking back, I could see the azure river that followed the trail snaking through the verdant rainbow of a jungle. The path was practically indiscernible from the vegetation. And if the view wasn't enough, the feeling of the waterfall's spray hitting your back was heavenly – especially in the midday heat. At night the water was been pitch-black and seemed to have the consistency of soup, but now, it was a clear blue and rushed forwards with life.

_Crack!_

I jumped and immediately looked down. My heart felt like it'd leap out of my chest. _That noise was…!_

Sure enough, there were no changes on the two boards that my feet were placed on, nor were there any cracks in the boards around me. I took a breath of relief, but was then interrupted by another crack.

I frantically began making my way to the end of the bridge, but then stopped_. In… my bag…?_

_…The egg!_ I thought, pulling the object out in a rush.

Three huge faults had appeared on the top of the egg – considering all of the tumbles it had been through already, I assumed they weren't caused by me. As I held it, gazing in anticipation, another one appeared. And then another. And then a chunk of the egg fell off, and then the entire egg burst into pieces, releasing a translucent yolk all over the place – including on Mightyena and I – and, standing in its place, was a tiny blue Pokemon.

_"Bagon!"_ it barked.

"Bagon!" I stated. "…Bagon?! Bagon! The egg! It hatched!"

_"Ba-gon!"_ the Pokemon replied happily, bouncing up and down in my hands.

I quickly moved the thing into one arm and reached for my Pokedex, hoping the substance coating my hand wouldn't damage it too much.

"_Bagon, the Rock Head Pokemon. Bagon harbors a never-ending dream of one day soaring high among the clouds. As if trying to dispel its frustration over its inability to fly, this Pokemon slams its hard head against huge rocks and shatters them into peb-"_

_"Bagoooon!"_

I glanced up. Bagon had shimmied its way out of my arm and was now standing on the edge of the bridge. I gasped.

"_Bagon!"_

Before I could even wrap my head around the situation, the baby Pokemon took a leap tremendous for its size and began falling head-first into the canyon.

I felt something in my chest shatter, as well as my light breakfast start to rise out of my stomach. "_B-bagon!"_

Mightyena began barking in protest. I recovered in a split second and grabbed Wingulls Pokeball. "Go after it, Wingull! Hurry!"

The Pokemon burst from its storage and flew after the suicidal baby Bagon. Unfortunately, being a seagull, it wasn't as built for speed like Tailow was. But it would have to work, I thought. I watched carefully, gripping the loose rope railing on the edge of the bridge. Wingull closed in on it, wrapped its little feet around Bagon's stubby ones, and began frantically flapping its wings. Good. The fall had slowed significantly, but Wingull couldn't carry the load, of course, and disappeared into the canopy of the trees far below.

"Everyone!" I called, tossing out my other three Pokeballs, "Go after Wingull and Bagon! Hurry!"

Mightyena, Combusken, Aron, and Sableye all materialized in front of me and went after their strayed friends. The former two ran to the end of the bridge and then started skidding down the steep slope, while Aron and Sableye simply leapt from the bridge. I took another look at the patch of trees where Wingull had gone down, taking a mental note of the location, and then sprinted down the slope, worry driving each careless step I took.

* * *

**A/N: **So, most of this is comfy filler. But there are a good number of things in this chapter that'll be important in 26.

Just a sidenote, after this little arc I'm going to be focusing less on detailing battles/gyms and more on the main story since this is where the action starts picking up.

Thanks for reading!


	26. The Weather Institute

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 26: Brendan and the Weather Institute**

"_Woof!"_

I snapped my head to the left, into a cluster of ferns the size of my house. I'd made it to the bottom of the cliff, but still found no sign of Wingull. Just then, Mightyena burst from the undergrowth, barking and kneading the mud with its paws.

"Wingull and Bagon… are they that way?!" I exclaimed, hurrying after the Pokemon as it moved back into the undergrowth in the direction it came from.

We ran through the jungle blindly – or, at least _I_ had no idea where I was going, but Mightyena had its nose buried in the ground and seemed to be onto something. Anxiety took hold of my nerves, and I started repeating in my head _please let us find them, please let us find them…_ because it was _my _fault, I'd been too clumsy, not to mention I'd barely been paying attention to the egg lately and _I should have had more control over my Pokemon, now they're lost in the jungle and… Damn it! _

After many twists and turns, Mightyena and I emerged in a pleasant grassy clearing, and it began barking. I looked around. _Is this…?_

Sure enough, in the center of the clearing, near a huge fruit tree, was a Pokemon that resembled Bagon. It was running about, trying to head butt a plumper Pokemon that looked like a pelican of some sort. The pelican wasn't fighting back, but was instead making lots of noise and trying to appeal to Bagon, shifting around each of its thrusts.

We started towards them, Combusken, Aron, and Sableye joining us. As soon as the battling Pokemon saw me, they paused. The pelican then flapped over to me and started making noises I could only describe as crying.

"H-hey! Calm down!" I told it, patting its little head as I glared at Bagon. "Why are you attacking this Pokemon, you idiot?! It doesn't want to hurt you."

The Dragon-type seemed to disagree. "_Ba-Bagon!"_ It then clamped its jaws around one of its legs.

"_P-Pelipper! Pelipper!" _the Pokemon chirped in exasperation.

I sighed, giving it a meticulous look. "What did you think poor Bagon here was? A fish?"

_Wait, where is Wingull?_ I narrowed my eyes at the bird. "Hold on. You're…"

Heart racing, I reopened my Pokedex:

"_Pelipper, the Water Bird Pokemon and the evolved form of Wingull."_

"Oh!"

"_Pelipper searches for food while in flight by skimming the wave tops. This Pokemon dips its large bill in the sea to scoop up food, then swallows everything in one big gulp."_

I lit up. "W-_Wingull_? You evolved?"

The large Pokemon attempted to snuggle closer to me, but its huge beak made it a difficult task. I patted its feathers with a sigh. "No wonder Bagon thought you were trying to eat it!"

"_P-Peli…_"

Bagon looked defiant and crossed its arms, only to earn a slap to the top of its head by Combusken.

* * *

_So, we backtracked some, _I thought, stretching _but the egg hatched and Wingull evolved. That's good enough for me._ Though it was as hot and muggy as any other day on the route had been, the trees around the clearing provided ample shade, and the fruits on the weird-shaped tree were ripe, ample, and satisfying.

As if the universe had sensed my good spirits and wanted to ruin them, a familiar voice came from the jungle, behind me.

"Go, Numel! Use Ember!"

I swerved around and backed up some as Brendan Birch came charging out of the forest alongside his tiny Numel. Flames began to erupt from the Pokemon's back, rather recklessly.

"Everyone, duck!" I shouted at my unexpecting Pokemon. They responded, pressing themselves to the spongy grass – everyone except for Bagon. "What are you doing, Bagon!?"

The little thing looked enraged at the interruption. "_Ba-gon…" _It took a step forward, like it was about to _challenge _Numel.

The flames began rushing towards us, now, and the only thing standing between them and us was both the tree, and Bagon.

_"GON!"_

My eyes widened. Combusken's eyes widened. Sableye's eyes probably did, too. Without thinking, I threw myself forwards, towards the Pokemon, only to stop as a huge blast of water shot from Bagon's mouth and just barely missed Numel. The Ember attack was snuffed completely, leaving nothing but a big puff of steam, despite the bad aiming. The Dragon-type was tossed backwards by its own attack, rolling into me and grunting.

"What the-"Brendan stopped and looked over in my direction. "May?!"

I clenched one fist. "What are you sneak-attacking us for, Brendan? Geez!"

He began laughing as he approached me, sobering. "_You_? Don't tell me you don't realize what Pokemon this is!?"

I blinked and looked at what he was vehemently gesturing at. "That fruit tree…?"

Brendan snickered. "You really don't! Oh, May… What is my dad gonna do with you?" He then flipped out his own Pokedex as both Bagon and I seethed in annoyance.

"_Tropius, the Fruit Pokemon. The bunches of fruit around Tropius's neck are very popular with children. This Pokemon loves fruit, and eats it continuously. Apparently, its love for fruit resulted in its own outgrowth of fruit." _

The boy then pulled out an Ultra Ball from a side pocket and flashed me a grin. "Tropius, a rare Pokemon _exclusive_ to the tropical region of Route 119! And I've been looking for one all week!"

I frowned. After taking a closer look, I thought I could make out the shape of some kind of body in the tree, but it was vague. "Well, if it's a Wild Pokemon, then it's technically mine to catch, since I found it first, right?"

He gave me a look. "What? You didn't even know it was a Pokemon. It's mine, May. How full is your Pokedex, anyways?"

I gritted my teeth. It was obvious Brendan spent more time catching Pokemon and exploring their behavior, while I did the battling, but he had some _nerve,_ pointing it out.

"Well, look at this guy," I told him, grabbing the newborn Bagon and holding it out in front of me. "A Dragon-type from Meteor Falls."

Surprise flashed across the trainer's face, but only for a moment. He took out another Pokeball and released a Pokemon resembling a giant dragonfly.

I blinked and pulled out my Pokedex.

_"Vibrava, the Vibration Pokemon and the evolved form of Trapinch. Vibrava's wings have not yet completed the process of growing. Rather than flying long distances, they are more useful for generating ultrasonic waves by vibrating._"

I frowned. "Well, that's pretty interesting, Brendan."

"I know, I know," he beamed. "How about a battle, then? My Vibrava against your Bagon? And, of course, my starter Pokemon and your starter Pokemon. I can do a test of your abilities, and whoever wins can take this Tropius here home!"

"What? Bagon is-"I was interrupted by a head butt to my gut. Bagon gave me a quick glare before stepping in front of me, challenging Vibrava. "Wait! Bagon just hatched from its egg today…" My voice trailed off. There was no stopping it now. _And there's no way I'm backing down from a fight with this guy!_

Brendan smirked, raising one eyebrow tauntingly. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

With a sigh, I readied myself for battle, again eyeing the baby Bagon standing in front of me. _Please, don't lose…_

* * *

As it turned out, it _did _lose. Horribly. The first few attacks of Vibrava's were just barely dodged. Dragonbreath was deadly, and the Pokemon's wild speed let it avoid most of Bagon's attacks with ease. My Pokemon grew more and more frustrated by the minute, and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. In the end, I'd finally grounded Brendan's Pokemon with the attack Bagon had used earlier – called Hydro Pump – and gotten a few good Headbutts on it after that, but one direct hit by Dragonbreath was enough to send Bagon out of commission.

As it collapsed at my feet, I patted the Pokemon's head - "_its okay, its okay_" - and recalled it. My hand lingered on the Pokeball for a moment – thought it was still weak, the Pokemon had potential. Despite the strange way I'd received it, it'd definitely become a key member of my team.

Combusken, like a mother defending its child, stomped onto the battlefield and readied itself with a killer glare at Vibrava. It was out with one astonishingly fast Double Kick – only to quickly be replaced with Marshtomp.

Mudkip's evolution proved to be more of a challenge – after reading the Pokedex entry for it, I'd realized that I no longer had one type disadvantage, but two. The Mud Shot attack that Brendan's Pokemon knew reminded me horrifically of the battle on Route 110. To make matters worse, the puddles of water here and there combined with the damp ground and humid air gave Marshtomp an amazing advantage. And the weather only worsened – halfway through the battle it began to downpour out of nowhere, reducing an Ember attack Combusken had been shooting to a puff of steam.

I frowned. Within seconds, all my clothes were soaked. Brendan was laughing – as he had water-proof clothing, apparently – until there was a blinding flash of light followed by a clap of thunder so loud we both flew to the ground.

"What the hell…?!" I exclaimed, glancing upwards. The sky was coated in thick clouds, churning around and around at an almost unnatural speed – despite having been a bright blue a few minutes ago. "That thunder sounded like it was right above us!"

Brendan was already at his feet. "Well, whatever! As long as we don't get close to any trees, it's fine! Marshtomp, give Combusken another Mud Shot!"

Looking like a seasoned warrior in the weather, Marshtomp slid around to Combusken's blind spot – it was still squawking angrily at the sky, of course – and fired another attack. My Pokemon attempted to jump out of the way at the last second, but slipped and fell face-first into the muck.

Brendan began cheering. "Good job! Now use Take Down!"

There was another flash of lightning, eerily lighting up the jungle surrounding us, and then a thunderbolt shot down from the mass of clouds, right into a nearby tree.

"Look out!" I shouted, scuttling up to Combusken and jumping over it as there was an earsplitting _CRACK!_

A wave of heat flew over us. It was quiet for a moment, but then Brendan soon began gasping and "Ooh!"-ing. I opened my eyes back up and looked off to my right, but instead a split open tree or a fire, found… Marshtomp, posing like it'd just finished an attack.

The wind was knocked out of me as both Combusken and I were sent rolling across the muddy grass. My head spun. _Oof! T-that's Take Down?!_

"Whoops!" Brendan said, walking up to us. "You okay? Sorry about that! But you really shouldn't do that in the middle of a battle, you know? You have to stay focused!"

I pulled myself onto all fours and gave Brendan a murderous look. He merely grinned and held out a hand to help me up, but I brought myself to my feet instead. "You're right," I said between coughs, "I really shouldn't."

Combusken, nearly completely drained of energy, forced itself up as well and began glaring at Marshtomp.

"Anyways," I managed over the roaring of the downpour, "we really shouldn't be battling in this kind of weather." _Especially when your stupid Water-type has this much of an advantage!_ "There's something weird about this storm. It was nice out just a few minutes ago."

Brendan shrugged. "It's just a thunderstorm, May. Nothing abnormal about it. You're not from Hoenn, so you wouldn't know this, but it's pretty normal to get severe ones all of the sudden when you're in this part of the region."

I sighed and, upon seeing the remains of the tree off behind Brendan, scowled. "Whatever the case is, I'm gonna find shelter."

He shrugged once more. "Well, alright. Tell ya what – the Weather Institute isn't too far from here, and it's where I've been staying the past few nights. I'll point you in the right direction-"

There was another flash of lightning, followed immediately by thunder, and with that, a different tree practically exploded. Before we recovered, the Tropius in the middle of the clearing seemed to unfold itself – _yeah, I see now, the leaves were the wings, and the fruit was part of the neck_ – and scurry off deeper into the woods.

"Hey, May!" Brendan squeaked. "Let's go!"

I didn't have the capacity to make a snide remark and instead nodded. We both hopped onto our bikes and I followed him through the jungle, hopefully back towards the trail.

* * *

Luckily, Brendan did know his way around, and we were able to make our way back onto the main path of Route 119 in little time. At that point, it was only a matter of pedaling as fast as we could. A few miles behind us, strangely enough, the sky was completely clear, and much farther ahead, the clouds were breaking up. I narrowed my eyes in the rain and held one hand up to my forehead. _Weird… is this just one of Hoenn's freak thunderstorms…?_

"If we just get past the edge of them, we should be alright," Brendan shouted back to me. "If not, we can just wait it out at the Weather Institute, since it's build for this kinda stuff."

I went along with his plan, but something about the situation still rubbed me the wrong way.

After hard pedaling through mud, rocks, tall grass, and everything in between, quickened by the rising frequency in lightning bolts around us, we spotted the Weather Institute in the distance; it stood out among the natural landscape. Though the rain created a fog-like effect and obscured my vision, it seemed to be a large, modern building, covered in glossy windows and satellites pointing up to the raging sky. I let out a short breath of relief.

However, that relief turned into terror when I saw what – or, _who_, rather – was standing at the entrance.

"Stop," I told Brendan. "Wait! Stop!"

He glanced back at me with an incredulous look. "What?"

I pointed at the doorway, feigning innocence. "That's… That's Team Aqua, isn't it? They're dangerous!"

The boy glanced forward once before giving me a quizzical look. "Well, that is kinda weird, yeah… Let's just go on ahead to my Secret Base, then. It's not too far from Fortree, so-"he swerved around a deep puddle, and I did the same – "so we can head up there once the storm passes. The bridge crossing is right up here."

I bit my lip, conflicted – part of me wanted to ask Brendan if he'd help check out what Aqua was doing, but I didn't want to draw anyone else into it, and it was all too risky. Even if we got close, I had no idea if the grunts might recognize me and go after us. And Brendan – did he know about the dispute between my father and me?

But it was _Team Aqua._ They _had _to be up to something. And if the storm had anything to do with it…

As I stumbled for words, we rapidly grew closer to the building, and Brendan pointed out the log bridge off to the right, – covered in water and swaying in the wind, how inviting – telling me to swerve over through some side-path so we didn't catch Aqua's attention.

Unfortunately, it was too late. The two grunts turned around and began pointing and shouting at us, though their words were washed away along with the rain. Brendan cursed and pedaled faster. I slowed down, casting a solemn look at the Weather Institute.

The two men called out their Pokemon –Mightyenas, of course – and continued chasing after Brendan, who picked up speed, paying no attention to me. My heart raced, and my eyes flicked over to the now-unguarded entrance to the Weather Institute. This was it. This was my chance.

With a gulp, I leapt off my bike and folded it up as I sprinted towards the entrance. The ground was muddy and made the action difficult, and I almost tripped trying to shove the bike back in my bag. The guards, I saw from the corner of my eye, came to a skidding halt at the start of the bridge – Brendan was already halfway across it, and apparently didn't notice that I had disappeared – and then began bickering over whether they should risk crossing it in the rain or not.

_Splat, splat, splat…_ I staggered inside the glass doors, immediately collapsing against the wall. _I did it… I went for it… Brendan is… _My eyes drifted upwards to the door leading outside; the raging storm was now only present in the pattering of rain on the windows and the violent rumbles of thunder. Brendan was out there. I had ditched him.

Catching my breath and wringing out my bandanna, I looked further inside, down the hallways. My eyes stung as they adjusted – everything was so bright. White lights, white walls, and shiny slate tiling. With a groan, I moved my legs forward. No sign of Team Aqua – not yet, at least. Windows swooped from ceiling to floor on my left and I looked out, at the swirling leaves and clouds at first, and then to my own shiny complexion. Sniffing and straightening out my hair, I marched onwards.

The main hall was eerily quiet. All along the right side were well-furnished offices, and in some the lights or ceiling fans were on, implying someone should have been there. Anxiety scratched at the inside of my mind as I tried to prepare myself for whatever was lurking within the Institute.

Rounding a few more corners, I came to a fork in the road; to my right was a huge lab area lined with electronics and conference desks, and to the left, a small break room, the door just barely ajar so that I could get a glimpse of some beds inside, and the artificial light of a television. My eyes narrowed – the lab area was chock full of the blue-capped Aqua grunts, loitering, chatting, and rummaging through people's desks. That many… I could feel the color draining from my face. _There's no way I can take on that many, not with the state my Pokemon are in. And that man, on the far end of the room… He looks like…_

Before I could get spotted, I slipped into the break room and gently closed the door behind me.

"M…Miss…?"

The small voice caught me off guard and I straightened. A young boy – no older than 8 or 9 – got to his feet from beside one of the beds and approached me. "A-are you… Here to help…? Y-you don't seem like one of the bad guys…"

Gulping, I nodded. "What happened, little guy? Where are the employees?"

He shrunk back. "I dunno… My dad works here, and he told me to hide in here all of a sudden… And to stay away from the blue guys. He said they're bad people."

_Bad people… So the people here know Team Aqua's true intentions?_ I ruffled the boy's hair, moving over to a bed and taking a seat. "Don't worry; I'll kick 'em out for you. Just once I heal my Pokemon up…" The words dribbled out of my mouth, all exaggerated. There had to be at least thirty grunts just on the first floor. And they'd recognize me. There was no way…

Gritting my teeth, I called out my entire team – making sure they kept quiet – and began to patch them up with what few potions I had left. Then, impatient, I got up and peeked out the door, careful not to disturb the boy, who had curled up in one of the beds. _Useless…_ They were all over the place. And I'd been right about the big one in the back – undoubtedly it was the admin, Matt, whose face I faintly remembered from Mt. Chimney. _If they recognize me, it might be all over…_

Moping, I sunk back down in a bed and stared at the TV. There was nowhere to go. Not outside, not further in. One side of me wanted to run into the group and tear it up – the other, the _practical _side, kept me rooted in place.

Outside, the thunder became more violent, sending mild tremors through the walls of the Institute.

_What do I do…? _The question pulsated in my mind and I rolled over onto my back, flipping open my Pokenav. _What do I do…? Call Brendan? I-I should have told him to… No, I can't get him involved in this. Besides, for all I know, Dad coulda contacted him and told him to call if he sees me… Team Aqua is my problem._ Another loud _CRASH!_ I jumped and then buried myself deeper in the covers of the bed. _What… do I do…?_

_"I haven't figured out their intentions yet – in harassing my father and stealing the Devon Goods – but I'm working against them." _Memories of the conversation with Steven Stone floated into my head, and lazily, I scrolled down to his name in my Pokenav. _Steven…_ My hand was trembling. _He might still be in the area, right?_

…

_Bsssss… _I nervously held the device to my ear, only to get nothing in return. _Don't tell me… I don't have service, here? Is it because of the electrical storm?_

As if on cue, another clap of thunder rocked the walls of the building.

"_…Yeah, I was with my friend."_

I blinked, recognizing the muffled voice, and flicked up the TV volume. It was an interview – and with who else but Brendan?

_"And you think she's inside the Weather Institute?"_

_"Probably." _He shrugged. The sky was bright and clear, like a whole different world. _"I thought she was following me, but I turned back once I was on the bridge, and all I saw were those two Aqua dudes."_

_"So, she was either captured, or ran back the other way…"_

_"I guess. She pointed out how we shouldn't get near Aqua when we saw them there, too, so I probably should have taken her advice… But it's May, so who knows what'll happen, haha!"_

The reporter seemed downtrodden, fixing her bangs before speaking again. "For those of you at home, the storm seems to be fixated on Route 120, though the upper paths are fine, aside from some wind gusts. If you live in the area, or you know anyone who's currently traveling there, please advise them to find cover – as always with a storm, there's a high risk of the river flooding. We'll have more coverage after this break!"

"_Alright, my squad!"_ A booming voice came from outside the room, once again startling me. _That voice… Is it the admin?_ "MOVE OUT!"

Then, rumbling. At least a dozen people were all moving at once, almost like they were marching, except less coordinated. Holding my breath, I peeked beneath the bottom of the door. Feet – at least two dozen, now that I saw – all wearing the same black loafers and drooping blue pants. I turned off the TV and recalled my Pokemon, praying that one of the grunts wouldn't get curious…

…And after another grueling minute or so, the noise subsided. I pulled the door open half an inch; the troupe was gone, and, more importantly, the number of grunts in the lab room had decreased drastically. Matt was gone, too. _They left, but only half of them… Maybe he was only here for security? Why else would they just leave, all of the sudden? But… _I opened the door wider, facing the hallway. _It could also mean they've already got the info they want. There's only one way to find out…_

* * *

_"I'm sorry; the number you have dialed is not within reach and is either disconnected, or not in service. Please check the number or try again later."_

Cursing, Steven shoved the Pokenav into his pocket. All this time he'd been combing the areas surrounding Fortree for any sign of Team Aqua, and when they make their big debut, he has to be on the complete opposite side of the loop – and that trainer, May, has to be caught up right in the middle of it. That was all he could assume, after seeing the news report. Having still seen no sign of them he'd taken the time to hike up a trail rumored to pass by an ancient cave, but on the way had been interrupted by a call from Winona warning him about a storm and telling him he should check the news, and around twenty minutes later, as he was hurriedly flying towards Fortree, he'd got a call from May. The Pokenav had only rung once, and by the time he'd picked it up, all he had was a dial tone.

Standing outside the Pokemon Center, Steven discreetly slammed one fist against the building's wall in frustration. Whether it was the Pokenav's own weakness as a new product, or the wild clouds he'd seen while flying interrupting the signal, he didn't know, but none of his calls were going through. And after seeing the news, the trainer was sure that May was tangled up in center of this mess.

Fortree, of course, was still uncomfortably serene, but looking up over the tree line at the puffy white clouds occupying one small section of the horizon, it was evident that Route 119 was experiencing hell. As much as he wanted to help – he hadn't tromped around in the jungle for two, three weeks for nothing, after all – Steven knew going out there would be idiotic, and that May was likely more than capable of dealing with it.

* * *

Wiping the sweat from my brow, I emerged onto the Institute's second floor. Instead of separate hallways and rooms, the floor was open and lined with computer desks. It was even more ravaged than the ones on the lower floor, with some monitors even recklessly tossed onto the ground. Now I was sure of it – they were searching for something. Something important.

"GIVE IT BACK! GIVE BACK MY RESEARCH!"

Commotion, in an office on the far end of the room. I squinted; the door was busted down, and there was a struggle happening; was that a scientist? _They must be holding everyone in that room!_

I stepped forwards, confidence surging through me. _Whatever they're looking for… I'm not too late. I can still-_

_BOOM!_

…

_What?_

"T-the lights!" A weak, disoriented voice.

"Don't worry, dear. I've got just about everything I need, so we'll be leaving, soon." A feminine voice… Admin Shelly. _So she's behind this._

I clenched my fists and stumbled forwards, not yet ready to give up, trying to guide myself between the intermittent flashes of lightning. The wall on the far side was lined with windows, and outside the branches of flimsy trees tossed and turned, sometimes brushing against the glass, casting grotesque shadows across the dark room. With all of the machinery turned off, the only ambience was the rain and wind slamming against the building, and Shelly's calls were easily heard:

"Get off me! Ugh!"

"T-that's our precious research! We won't let you idiot thugs misuse it!"

"Shut up!" _BAM! _The sound cracked through the room, as powerful as any clap of thunder, and I cringed. "Heh… what's this about, now…? Looks like I hit the jackpot… So, where's the rest of the info? There's gotta be specifics… on how to attain this world, right, nerd?"

"S-stay away!"

There was the sound of another strike and I picked up speed, groping for desks and heading towards the sounds. I forced myself to stay quiet – _if I can just sneak up on her…_

"And you, meddling little kid!"

_W-what?!_

Lightning, again, and the sound of another tree exploding close by. For a split second, I met Shelly's gaze; her eyes appeared electric blue in the flash, and her mouth was twisted up in a snide smirk. I gasped in realization. The reason I hadn't encountered grunts – maybe even the reason the power had gone out… I was just prey, set up in a trap. _Of course they knew I would come… Of course…!_

"_Shelly!_" My voice wavered. "Leave them alone!"

I was given no response except cruel laughter, and before I could start forwards there was a sudden force slamming into my side and I hit the ground with a _thud!_

Panicking, I reached for my Pokeballs, only to be stopped by one strong hand, pulling my wrist away. "I don't think so, bitch!" Another hand gathered up a bunch of my hair and tugged my head up, and I cried out from the flash of pain. _W-where did he come from-?! What-_

Then there was another tug and my head was forced to the side, slamming into something hard – the corner of a desk? – and it hurt so bad and the thunder was so loud and the shadows dancing across this man's face – he was just a grunt – it was terrifying, and I was alone, Steven wasn't coming, Brendan wasn't coming and-

_"Gon!"_

In the darkness there was another crack, this time not coming from myself, and the pressure on my arm and waist gave way. The man fell back, cursing, and then Bagon was nudging me as though urging me to get up.

Tears stinging my eyes, I grabbed onto the rim of a chair and stood up. _Not good… _Everything was spinning, and it was hard to breathe – carefully I clicked Mightyena's Pokeball open, and the Pokemon, with a level of intelligence I'd never seen from it, began guiding me towards Shelly.

"Ghh- what the hell! Just stay down, kiddie!" She laughed again, though there was a nervous edge to it, and with the single patch of light coming in in front of the office, I was able to see her – it was Shelly, alright, complete with the wild red hair, slim form, and blue bandanna. "Heh, you're so cute, getting up like that! But Archie told me to get rid of you if you show up again, so that's what I'm gonna do!"

I took a shaky breath, one hand holding my head, nails digging into the fabric of my bandanna through my gloves. "J-just try it…"

Still fading in and out, I sent Mightyena forwards to take on Shelly's own Dark-type. In the midst of the battle another wave of dizziness overcame me and I sat down, trying to catch my breath, which felt impossible to do. In the office beyond Shelly, the workers seemed to be on the move, trying to fix whatever Aqua had done.

_They're doing their part… I have to do mine, _I thought. "What is Team Aqua doing here?! What are you trying to do!? Tell me!" Summoning up the strength to yell was a task in itself, but Shelly had to be distracted.

She laughed, cruelly. "I'll give you a hint, kid. Look outside! The Weather Institute packs quite a punch, ya know?"

I gasped. _This storm… it's caused by the Weather Institute…? _How?! _That must mean- Aqua wants to use it…?_

"…But those rats back there just won't give me any data on it, ya know? I can't do shit if I don't have a CD or somethin' to take back to Archie!"

My head was pounding, and I was partly conscious of my body trembling. "What… what about that other thing you mentioned? 'This world'…"

_If I don't stop her here… I have to stop her here! I have to keep fighting_! Biting my lip, I stood back up. Mightyena had taken bad damage – and so had hers.

"Hmph… You'll see sooner or later, little May."

The Pokemon continued until both were knocked out, and I clumsily grabbed a random ball from my belt and threw it, sitting back down and clutching my head.

Time passed. I started to notice the thunder and rain die down, and after a few minutes the power came back on. Clutching the back of a chair, I called out commands – Lileep was the Pokemon I'd sent out, and Shelly was using Carvahna. Both were sea Pokemon, but only one could still move naturally on the land – and, naturally, that gave me the advantage. With a few weakly-ordered Absorbs, Carvahna was out.

Feeling slightly less nauseous, I approached Shelly, trying to stand tall. She had to be a good 6" taller than me – as expected of the intimidating Team Aqua. I shot her a glare, but the task in itself was difficult.

She cackled again, and the sound made my head hurt even more. "Hahaha! You really do look like hell! But I gotta admit, that was one relaxing fight! How disgusting!" With a carefree smile, the woman turned to the office. _That red hair gives me a headache, too…_ "And lookit that! They went and fought back, hahahaha!" Her voice was calm, almost like she was aware of their actions. "How gross. But, you know…"

I recoiled as Shelly playfully patted me on the head, smiling, scarlet eyes completely unreadable. "You can fight all you want – just like those Magma idiots – but neither of you can stop us, now can you? I may not have the disc with the weather control data on it, but I've got some _much _more important information… kiddie."

With one press of her hand, she backed away, waving nonchalantly to the employees. "So long! Team Aqua, let's move out! After all…" Shelly's voice suddenly lowered, sobered, even, "Archie is waiting… Mt. Pyre is waiting…" Tightening her bandanna and clipping Carvahna's ball to her belt, the admin strode past me, face twisted in something resembling defeat and fear. Under her breath, I caught the words, "_Hopefully, _Team Magma'll be slow to react, as usual…"

I frowned, watching the woman heave the discombobulated grunt up to his feet and lead the few other Aqua grunts left down the stairs. I felt like I was floating, partly from the dizziness, and partly from the fact that her chattering had raised even more questions and concerns about what Team Aqua was up to.

"Miss!"

_Ghhg… _The cut on my head still throbbed and now that the action had passed I felt weary. I staggered over to the wall, turning away from the joyous man approaching me.

"…Miss?"

* * *

**A/N: **I deviated a lot from the games here, I think. Also, in the games, anime, and manga, the Weather Institute is handled completely differently, so I sort of mashed them up.

Also, I feel like May is passing out a lot. Is that a thing? Poor thing is always getting beat up. I think adding the power outage thing is a lot more exciting than a bunch of nonstop battles against grunts.

I'm going to start doing more trimming/revising of previous chapters to make things move smoother.

Thanks for R/R!


	27. Fortree and the Devon Scope

**A/N: **Sorry again for the long wait, here's the next chapter! Along with school and travel stuff I've also been messing around writing another thing (where my conflictingshippers at orz) but I can't believe this crazy long fic has gotten over 80 followers!

And a big shoutout to everyone who left a review, I really appreciate the feedback and it's also super motivational!

* * *

**Chapter 27 – Fortree and the Devon Scope**

**FORTREE CITY – STRAIGHT AHEAD**

I took a deep breath, moving my eyes uphill to where the trees seemed to narrow into a gate of some kind._ I'm finally here._

The last week or so had been spent training along the upper side of the Route, working my way towards the town, battling and catching many different Pokemon. I'd seen no sign of Brendan, though my phone had rung a good number of times – all of them either from my father or Professor Birch. I'd begrudgingly ignored the calls, pouring my attention into training. Undoubtedly, it was about that night.

_"Uhn…" I was vaguely aware a bandage wrapped around my head, accompanied by an ice pack, as I came to. "What…?"_

_ "Oh, dear! Are you okay?" A man suddenly appeared in front of me, and I recognized him as one of the hostages from the battle._

_ Vision blurry, I assessed my somewhat familiar surroundings. _This is… the room from before? _I furrowed my brow and brought one hand to the ice pack on my head; it was still cold to the touch._

_ "If you're confused, this is the infirmary of the Weather Institute," he spoke up. "Well, technically, it's the break room, but it doubles as an infirmary. We don't get a lot of injuries here!"_

_ I got to my feet, relaxing as I reached for the Pokeballs at my belt to find that they were actually there. The room was quiet except for the soft hum of an air conditioner, and through a side window I could see another lab room, occupied with busy scientists. "It hasn't been too long, has it?"_

_ "Not at all; just a few hours. It's 9AM, right now," the man explained. "I'm the head scientist here, by the way! Before you think of heading out, I just want to thank you for all you've done."_

_ Still half-asleep, I nodded, straightening out my pants and hair. "I can't just let Team Aqua do whatever they want, can I? Ahah…"_

_ He cracked a grin. "I like that fighting spirit! Well, we actually have a gift for you, as thanks." Reaching into his pocket, the man pulled out a Pokeball. "It's a Pokemon we've been researching here at the Institute. It is called, 'Castform'."_

_ I took it, bowing, and excused myself to the PC to manage my party._

_ Bubbling with energy, the man followed. "Team Aqua was after some precious information and research of ours… We're not entirely sure of what they got yet, but if you hadn't shown up, I am not sure what would have happened! Thank you very much, miss." He nodded again, having followed me over to the machine._

_ I closed out of the boxes and gave the persistent man another nod. "It was no biggie, really." _Play dumb, May, play dumb.._. "I don't know what they were looking for, but if they were taking hostages they must really be a bad organization…"_

_ The man nodded again in agreement. "I'll say! I don't know why anyone believes they're good!"_

_ Adjusting my bag at my waist, I took a deep breath. "Well, I'll be off. Thank you for helping me."_

_ "Oh, no, thank _you_!" As I stepped down the hallway towards the entrance I heard him speak up again. "By the way, what is your name, trainer?"_

_ I paused for a split second before continuing on like I hadn't heard him._

The trees were singing in the wind as I entered the city limits, not knowing what to expect. 'City' usually meant buildings, but I hadn't seen any glimmering steel in the sunlight on the way here. _So where are they? _Twilight had set in and the clearing where Fortree was supposed to be was getting dark – were there no street lamps?

Befuddled, I grunted and moved onwards. Up above the canopy seemed to thicken, and there were strangely shaped shadows cast on the soggy grass around me; they were rectangular, like the shadow of a ladder or a boardwalk. After rounding another 'corner' I finally spotted the Pokemon Center, its welcoming white and red lights muffled among the dense natural scenery.

* * *

After asking around in the Center and healing my party I found out the missing piece; Fortree was a city, literally, _in the trees. _It was like something out of a story book. Interest piqued, I hurried back out across a 'street' and over to a clearing Nurse Joy had described to me.

"Wow!" I exclaimed, finding myself face to face with a sturdy-looking ladder that stretched up into the branches above. "What do you know? Hoenn's just full of surprises!"

With a childish excitement growing in me, I scaled the ladder, marveling as nature seemed to close in around me. At the top was a small wooden platform, with small footbridges leading out in all directions to other small buildings. Fortree was nothing like any of Hoenn's other cities I'd visited; instead of car engines and the chatter of townspeople and the faint crashing of waves, the cries of insects, the whisper of leaves, and the swaying of trees resounded through the city's crisp air. And best of all, it was quiet; the remote setting and lack of technology must have driven away tourists and the majority of Hoenn's population.

* * *

"…Ugh…"

I paused outside of one of Fortree's many treehouses and side-eyed a man next to me, who was seemingly loitering. His blonde hair stood out in the green setting and by his outdoorsy outfit, I could tell he was probably a Bird Keeper class of trainer.

Upon seeing my curious look, the man shifted and took a few steps back, bringing one hand to wave in front of his scrunched up face. "Sorry, miss, y'just smell kinda bad."

I was about to object when I thought about where I'd been and shrugged. "Sorry, I've been traveling a lot lately. Route 119 isn't exactly the nicest place when it rains."

The guy shook his head. "No, it's more like… like, sulfur. Have you been to a volcano recently, or something?"

_A volcano…? _Frowning, I moved on into the next building. _Mt. Chimney…?_

"Woah! Is that a Pokedex?"

I glanced up, finding a somewhat nerdy-looking guy holding a Pokedoll advancing on me, and then pulled said device – which had been sticking half-out of a pocket – out to show him, nodding.

"Awesome! So you're a trainer, here to fight the gym?" He was glowing with excitement. _Don't they get a lot of trainers through here…?_

"Yes."

His expression then changed, glasses catching the dim lighting in the room. "Well, I think you'll find that a bit difficult. We've been having a problem with 'invisible walls' lately, you see, no doubt thanks to the poor governing of the city…"

I raised one eyebrow. _What's this guy talking about…?_ Before I could mull over it another man – older, his father, perhaps? – stepped in, holding a book with a bunch of pictures of gems in it.

"Now, now, son. I'm sure Winona will do something about it." His gaze moved to me. "You're a trainer, hm? And a strong one, I'm guessing!"

"Yes…" The book again caught my attention.

"Oh, this? Ha-ha! I'm a geologist. Come to think of it…" He ran one hand through his rather wild beard. "I was doing an excavation a little while back with this guy – what was his name, Steven?"

_…Steven?_ I straightened.

"…And boy oh boy, did he have some strong Pokemon. Not just strong; they were wicked, out of this world powerful. Yeah, my son here wishes he was there to see that!" Playfully, he wrapped one arm around the boy and let out a hearty chuckle.

Excusing myself, I exited the hut to go find the Gym.

* * *

Exploring the town proved to be relaxing, but as dusk gave way to night, weariness started to take hold of my bones and I decided to head back to the Center. Watching my step was difficult, too; there were no major sources of lights, besides small bug-attracting lamps and the occasional swarm of Volbeat, so day was probably the best time to enjoy the city. The Gym challenge, I thought grimly, was out of the question, too, at least until the creepy invisible wall that'd sent me screaming as soon as I'd bumped into it that was blocking the way was gone. _I'll check back on that tomorrow…_

It was while I was fumbling around with my Pokenav and nearly tripping off the edge of a footbridge when I spotted someone. Below, on the ground, I could see him standing in a patch of moonlight, one hand running through his hair and the other flipping back and forth across his Pokenav. If his silver hair hadn't given away his identity, the four shining rings on his fingers did. _Steven._

I came to a stop, grabbing the rope guardrail with one hand and narrowing my eyes. _What's he doing here…? That's right… he did say he was looking out for Team Aqua around here, a while back, didn't he? I wonder…_

The seemingly eternal wind paused, and I had to lean my head forwards to hear the trainer mumbling to himself: "Then, hmm… That Pokemon… It can be found on Route 120, as well…?"

I stared for a moment, then opened my mouth to call out, then thought better of it and decided to approach him, then realized jumping off the bridge at this height wasn't such a good idea and hurried to the ladder of a nearby platform, nearly tripping and falling off at one point. However, by the time I reached the clearing I'd spotted the Devon heir at, he was gone.

"Hrm… Route 120?" Curiosity got the best of me as I walked on the path leading to said area. _I'm not _that _tired, not yet. Besides, I should probably tell Steven about what happened with Aqua…_

Route 120, like Route 119, was remote and unlighted, and staying on the path was difficult. The only available light was the full moon far above me, but under the cover of trees and grass that could only do so much. I coated myself in Repel – _I already smell like volcano, how worse could it get?_ – and forged onward, deciding only to go as far as the lake valley ahead. If I didn't see Steven by then – and if I could manage not to be shy – I'd call him with the Pokenav.

The thick grass opened up like a curtain, revealing a long, wooden bridge akin to those of Route 119 that stretched between two rocky cliffs and a lake shimmering with hundreds of stars below. Hesitantly, I stepped out, taking in the view, and then hurried my pace as I spotted a figure near the other end of the bridge.

Steven stood rather unsurely on the swaying log bridge, appearing deep in thought, facing forwards but unmoving. I looked up, studying him for a moment, as he, once again, didn't seem to hear me coming. _Am I really that quiet?_ I thought with a slight smirk. _Or is he just really that out of it?_

Swallowing, I took a few more steps forwards, and whether it was the creaking of the wood or the shift of weight on the bridge, Steven took notice of me and turned around. "…Hm?"

I instinctively fixed my posture, barely keeping myself from bowing (somehow, I got the feeling he didn't like being treated like a king, despite his wild social status). A small smile made its way onto his face and he nodded in recognition. "Hi, May. Long time, no see."

"Steven," I responded coolly with a nod. "What are you doing, out here?"

I expected him to start a conversation about Team Aqua – to which I'd have to go into explaining the Weather Institute battle, and maybe by talking with the trainer I'd get some answers – but instead, he pulled some strange device from his jacket and held it out to me. Lost, I took it, carefully rotating it around in my hands like it was an artifact.

"That's one of Devon's newest products," he explained, turning it so that it was facing the correct direction. "Created specifically for the dilemma this area's been facing; the Devon Scope."

I blinked, wishing I understood what he was getting at. _It does kind of look like headgear, now, _I thought, noticing two goggle-like objects attached to a frame. _Like night-vision goggles, maybe…_

He laughed. "Still confused?"

Snapping my head up, I stuttered. "Well, I-I… I'm not really sure… I-is it for seeing in the dark? Devon creates equipment for trainers, so maybe…"

Instead of giving me a straight answer, Steven pointed in front of us. I furrowed my brow.

"Do you see it?"

Biting my lip and squinting, I took note of a strange shimmering in the space in front of us, like heat rising from blacktop on a sunny day, and in addition to that there was a faint red tint in the air, like a stripe. _Come to think of it… isn't this what was also in front of the gym?_

"Now then," Steven took the object back. He was watching me rather intently, which didn't do my nerves much good. "What do you think would happen if I…"

Just as the trainer was about to pull the object over his messy hair, Steven stopped, bringing it down, and looked back at me. I grinded my teeth as he cracked a grin. _Gee, what is he thinking? I really don't know what's going on…_ Then the man held out the device to me once again.

"…What?" I raised an eyebrow as I took it back. "I don't understand-"

"Instead of just telling you, why don't _you_ try it out yourself? Put on the Devon Scope and take another look at that object. Yeah, that'd be more fun." Steven rested his hands in his pockets and gave another nod of reassurance.

My hands tightened around the headgear. _Man… I have no clue what he's talking about! Night vision goggles? Who made me Devon's test dummy? _Despite the confusion, Steven's request was hard to deny. He looked goofy, beaming and grinning as much as he was. That combined with his unkempt hair and expectant gaze made him seem less like a professional businessman and more like a carefree kid. Not that it was cute or charming or anything.

"Go on, I'm sure it'll fit."

Sighing in defeat, I pulled on the Devon Scope – it fit, but I had to hold it in place with both hands – and squinted, leaning towards the suspicious area.

…

"…WHOOOAAA! What is that!" I stumbled backwards, hearing my voice echo across the cliffs, throwing the device back at Steven.

It was… green, reptilian, taller than both of us, and, the worst part – it was angry. Hissing right in my face. _Was that just the goggles?! A-a prank?! _I thought as I caught my breath, finding the smooth surface of Combusken's Pokeball.

"Don't take it off!" Steven exclaimed, sounding suspiciously like he was holding back laughter. "Go on and battle it. Show me you and your Pokemon's power!"

Before I could collect myself, the object was fastened back around my eyes and I was face to face with the monster again. _This is… a… a Pokemon?_

I heard Steven back off, and, bracing myself, I pulled out the Pokedex.

"_Kecleon, the Color Swap Pokemon. Kecleon alters its body coloration to blend in with its surroundings, allowing it to sneak up on its prey unnoticed. Then it lashes out with its long, stretchy tongue to instantly ensnare the unsuspecting target."_

I gagged in disgust before calling out Combusken. _That color, and the location… It must be a Grass-type! _"Go, Ember!"

"_Busken!"_ Flames lashed out at the hostile lizard, and I felt a smile creep onto my face – the attack was nothing like what it had been when Combusken was a Torchic. There came a hiss of protest as the attack hit, and for a moment I thought I'd won.

"_Kecleon!_" There was a flash of pink, and in the blink of the eye Combusken was being wrapped – no, _assaulted _by the Pokemon's tongue.

"Heh – Combusken! – Aheh… What?!" I coughed in disgust. "Hey, get up!"

The Pokemon was unresponsive, twitching on the ground. Meanwhile, Kecleon was readying another move.

"_Combusken!"_ I said, louder. "Ember, in close range! Come on!"

Silence. Then the Fire-type shot back up to its feet, releasing another flurry of flames into Kecleon's face. I swallowed. _Maybe Ember isn't so wise, on a wooden bridge… Is it done…?_

The smoke drifted off to the right in the breeze to reveal a still standing Kecleon. _No, it's not just standing, it's… it's…_

"_Kec!"_ Another Lick attack hit Combusken, sending it into _another _fit of paralysis.

"It didn't do anything…?" I bit my lip. "How? It was so strong last time…"

The lizard's claws lit up menacingly, glowing a hot white in the otherwise dark landscape. Combusken, still, was incapacitated. I felt my face heat up with embarrassment – losing in front of Steven was possibly the last thing I wanted to do. Desperately, I called for Combusken to strike back, but as expected, it didn't respond and instead screeched in pain as Kecleon landed its Fury Swipes attack.

_I don't get it. It didn't use any stat-changing moves… It's almost like it became resistant to fire after getting hit by Ember. _I looked over the Pokedex entry again as Combusken was tossed dangerously close to the edge of the bridge. _Maybe it changes types? I mean, it is a chameleon._ Going off the hastily-formulated theory, I called for a Quick Attack from the Fire-type.

Fortunately, Combusken responded, ramming itself into Kecleon's body and gaining some ground. It stumbled backwards, hissing once more in anger, and that's when I saw it; just a slight change on the Pokemon's body. It was barely noticeable, but if I'd learned anything in the past 10 minutes, it was that noticing little changes with Pokemon was key. Its scales seemed to shift, in one line, like a wave running down its body, before it took an offensive position again, and suddenly my crazy theory was starting to make sense.

"Combusken…" _Here goes nothing… _"Double Kick!"

I bit the inside of my cheek, anticipating the end of the battle, only to be responded with nothing from Combusken. Once again, the paralysis had taken over, and it was standing in the middle of the bridge, quivering.

Kecleon, meanwhile, was launching an attack I'd never seen; rocks, with a soft, bright purple glow around them, were summoned seemingly out of nowhere and began hovering around it menacingly. I clicked open the Pokedex and scanned the page, brushing my bangs from my eyes. _This move is… Ancientpower?! _Rock_-type?!_

"No-" I looked back up only to see Combusken getting nailed in the face by the glowing rocks. Its disabled body rolled limply into the thin ropes along the edge of the bridge. I gasped in horror and took a step forward as the Pokemon skidded in between them, over the edge, and…

"…_Com… busken…" _ I heard a weak chirp come from the Pokemon. In the moonlight, three of its dark claws were visible, digging into a plank.

A breath of relief escaped me and I threw out one hand. "Come back, Combusken! Double Kick!"

Despite the energy I put into the order, the Pokemon still did not move. Only a weak murmur came from the edge of the bridge. And Kecleon was closing in now, readying another Ancientpower, this time aiming it downwards.

_No…! No! _I took deep breaths, stepping towards my Pokemon. _If I can just return it… I'm sorry, Combusken… If I can just…_

However, Kecleon picked up on my movement and turned towards me, giving me a glare I didn't think it was capable of and holding me in place before moving back towards its main opponent. I felt my knees start to involuntarily shake. _No! _Memories of Mt. Chimney suddenly came flooding back to me – always, with cliffs. _I really am a reckless idiot… Damn it! _"Combusken!"

This time, I didn't get a soft murmur, and for a moment I was hit with pure panic. _No… Did it fall?!_ Kecleon, too, appeared confused, and it waddled over to the edge, looking downwards. I felt sick. The Fire-type was gone.

Time slowed down and I took a fearful step back. _How could I let this happen…? _I thought back to the rest of the battle. _Did I get carried away…? How did Combusken… No…_ A shiver ran up my spine as I peered over the edge. The water was at least a dozen meters below, thick and soupy, reflecting the sky of the still-young night above, and even if Combusken _could_ survive the impact, it was a Fire-type and couldn't swim. Half of me wanted to jump in after it, but the other half remained still, stricken silent by shock.

Suddenly there was a flash of light, a bright yellow-orange, and I was pulled from my daze to weakly bring an arm up to cover my eyes. _What… was that?_

Behind me, Steven, whose presence I'd almost forgotten about, spoke up: "Interesting…!"

I lowered my arm. _Interesting? What's..._

Observing the scene before me, my question was answered. Combusken had come back, exploded from the other side of the bridge to which Kecleon's back was facing, only it _wasn't _Combusken – it was a larger Pokemon, appearing as more of a humanoid, with fire erupting from its wrists and brilliant yellow feathers lining its body. It landed on the rope railing of the bridge for just a moment, letting out a loud and unexpectedly deep squawk, before rearing back its foot and striking the unexpecting Kecleon.

I grinned and had to remind myself to breathe. _This is… Combusken's final evolution?_ My hands were shaking and I clenched them into fists, pumping one into the air at my Pokemon's comeback. By the shriek Kecleon let out at the first kick, I knew my thoughts were right; Kecleon adapted to the type of attack it took. Using Quick Attack made it a Normal-type; using Double Kick would give me a 'type advantage'.

It responded with equal enthusiasm and threw out another kick. Kecleon fought back, launching Ancientpower, but the Pokemon's muscular leg broke right through two of the rocks and nailed the Pokemon in the face. Crying out, it fell onto one of the ropes and then slumped over, tired, but not defeated. _There it is again – its scales are changing._

Combusken's evolution jumped from the rope to the bridge, closing the space between it and its opponent, and I took the chance to dig a Cheri Berry out of my bag. "Catch, Combusken!"

The Pokemon caught the object with one dark, massive talon of a hand, grunting, "_Blaziken."_

_Blaziken?_ I thought with a smirk. "Well, whatever your name is, stupid bird… Use Peck!"

'Blaziken' gave another battlecry, earning a fearful squeal out of Kecleon, and then picked it up with one hand, tossed it into the air, and leaped up, drilling into the airborne Pokemon's side with its beak. As expected, the attack dealt more than enough damage and the Pokemon crashed into the boardwalks with a groan.

Blaziken looked to me, awaiting any further orders, but I shook my head and instead threw another object onto the field – a Timer Ball. Kecleon was scooped inside and barely put up a fight against the device's power, and with the small _click! _confirming a capture, the battle was over.

An uncomfortable moment of silence ensued and I stiffened, realizing again that Steven had been watching the whole thing. Before he could approach me, I started forwards and picked up the Timer Ball, laughing sheepishly at the look of betrayal Blaziken was giving me. "You surprised me there, big guy. Now, what was your name…?"

_"Blaziken, the Blaze Pokemon. Blaziken has incredibly strong legs - it can easily clear a 30-story building in one leap. This Pokémon's blazing punches leave its foes scorched and blackened."_

_Wow… _I stared up at the Pokemon in wonder. It appeared as equally shocked by its new appearance, too, curiously watching the flames spurting from its wrists. _What a place to evolve, too. The Gym battle will be no problem._

"Impressive!"

I turned to find Steven walking towards us, smiling approvingly. "You and your Pokemon have obviously grown a lot since we first met in Dewford. In power, and in trust."

Looking up to Blaziken once more, I crossed my arms. "I guess we have." The Pokemon was impressive, compared to its previous evolution, not only in power but in physique. Mere minutes ago it only stood up to my knee, but now Blaziken stood taller than both Steven and I, and in both stance and strength appeared more a Fighting-type Pokemon than a Fire-type. It was impressive to me – to other trainers, I was sure Blaziken would be menacing and a tough foe to defeat.

Noticing that the Devon Scope was still resting on my forehead, I pulled it the rest of the way off and delicately handed it back to Steven. "…Sorry for throwing it off all of the sudden earlier. I promise I'm not that reckless normally…!"

The trainer looked from the device, to me, and back to the device, eyes shining with confidence in the dim silver light the moon provided. "No, you keep it – consider it a gift, from me to you."

I gawked and inwardly cursed at how my face started to heat up. "What? Really? Isn't this… I mean…" I fiddled with the piece of equipment. _This is special Devon Co. gear, right?_ "I-I mean, I already have the Pokenav, and that's more than enough…"

Steven frowned somewhat sardonically and crossed his arms. "Well, I'm sure you'll encounter more Pokemon like this one in the future, so it'd only make sense for you to keep it. And the Pokenav…" He paused, bringing a hand to his chin in thought. "That was a gift from my father, and from Devon. Just consider the Scope a personal gift. It's not _that _much. Seeing trainers giving it their all with their Pokemon and striving together is something I enjoy, so that's probably why I like you so much."

Blinking, I sort of stared at him, sort of stared _through_ him, and barely stopped myself from shooting him a quizzical, 'are you kidding?' look. No, Steven was one-hundred percent serious, (as he always seemed to be) meeting my gaze evenly and turning to face me, like he was awaiting a reply. I mentally smacked myself in the face, trying to get myself to speak, and somewhere in between the warm breeze blowing across the valley and the warm _look _Steven was giving me, I squeezed out the words, "Um, okay."

Wishing spitefully that the moon would go behind some clouds, I focused on Steven's red cravat, since it was around eye level and easier to look at than his face. It wasn't until I felt his hands fold around the Devon Scope I was half-holding out that I realized I wasn't moving to pack it away.

Pushing it back into my arms, Steven nodded again. "Yup, I think you've doing great, so far. If you're in Fortree, then Winona will be next… So, that's the sixth badge… You're closing in on the League challenge."

After another second he let go and I quickly shoved the Devon Scope into my bag. _Badges. Badges. _"Yeah," I spat out. "I wanted to get here sooner, but…"

_Oh, _I thought to myself. _There it is._

The mood of the conversation seemed to drop faster than Combusken would have it it'd fallen off the bridge. "Yes, I heard… The Weather Institute." Steven let out a frustrated sigh and turned back towards the edge of the bridge, again taking on his signature thinking pose. "I feel Team Aqua is closing in on whatever goal they want to accomplish. Did… did you find anything else out?"

I stole another glance at Steven to find him cautiously looking away, down into the water below. _Is he… feeling guilty?_

"I did get your call, but I suppose I missed it, or lost connection," he quickly explained. "Believe me, I wish I could have been there, and for you to have dealt with that in my place, well…"

"It's okay," I spoke up, trying to sound cheery despite the fact that I'd nearly been knocked out and beaten by Shelly. Leaving out those sorts of details comes second nature to you, when you've had a family like mine. "Archie wasn't there, at least by the time I showed up." Information from that night came pouring back into my mind, along with, again, unanswered questions. "Steven… They wanted to harness the power of the Weather Institute. The scientists and I stopped them from getting _that_ information, but…"

Steven played with the metal rings adorning his fingers nervously. "But… what?"

"But…" I dragged out the word, frustrated. _But what? Isn't that the question… I have no idea what Aqua wanted…_ "I don't know – Shelly said they got other information that would be a lot more important to them. She also mentioned something about… a 'world'. 'Attaining this world', that's what Shelly said, I-I think…" I didn't know if her words even held any weight, but nonetheless my voice was wavering.

Steven tensed up visibly, almost like he was angry. "I see… This is bad."

The three words were near terrifying. Scratching the back of my head, I responded, "What do you mean? What did Shelly mean by that?"

Steven, however, didn't seem to hear me, because in one swift movement he then pulled a Pokeball from his belt and called forth a Pokemon I'd never seen up close before; Skarmory. It glowed a beautiful shade of silver beneath the moon and floated patiently in front of its master.

"…Steven?" I pressed, only to be ignored again as the man mounted the Pokemon. "Hey! Wait- Steven!"

"May," suddenly the trainer spoke up, flashing a forced smile my way. Aside from that, his expression was blank and unreadable. "Hmm… Let's meet again, sometime soon."

_…What?_ _That's-_

Skarmory let out a shrill call and lifted up its wings. The revealed feathers were a deep crimson color, and, matched with the Pokemon's piercing yellow eyes and the formally-dressed man atop its back, the image was frightening. Then, with one swift movement, the Pokemon and its trainer were drifting away into the night. A flurry of emotions battled in my head and only one found its way out; angrily I yelled out after Steven, "Hey! Wait! What about Team Aqua?! What do you mean?!"

But it was too late; Skarmory, in a matter of seconds, was a mere speck in the darkness, and with the wind coming in from the west there was no way my voice could carry that far. I clamped my hands around the rope of the bridge, so tightly that they started to burn, and then stomped back towards Fortree.

* * *

**A/N: **The ~drama~ picks up… Just kidding, but not really, Steven is so unclear. Basically, May nearly confirms that Aqua is going to summon Kyogre and flood everything and he's so shocked that he flies off.

The Weather Institute is sort of like the opposite side of the Aqua 'controversy', like how some people/the public think they're just an environmentalist group and others (like the scientists and Steven) think they're nuts and evil. In case it was unclear, Steven can't really say anything or act on it publicly because he's an icon for the League and Devon, and May can but wants to stay as anonymous as possible.

Stay tuned! Next chapter is the gym battle (which may or may not be skimmed over, battles are long and a pain to write…) and a look at Steven's POV and Aqua's POV.


	28. VS Winona!

**Chapter 28 – VS. Winona, "The Bird User Taking Flight Into the World!"**

Steven Stone ran one hand through his hair as he sped through the night sky atop Skarmory, letting out a frustrated sigh. _How did it get this bad? _He thought. _How did I let it get this bad…?_ The Pokemon began to curve to the left, heading for Lilycove, which was a shining blotch on the horizon at the moment, as full of life as it always was, unaware of the advancements that Aqua had just made. _The Weather Institute… I should have suspected… If only I were there…_

But would that have changed anything, he realized? His being there – he may have had a high status as a trainer, but this was a gang, and he'd be unreasonably outnumbered. Even if he did fight his way to the top, that Shelly would have had enough time to get what she needed. And now, May had gone instead – and she'd paid for it, clearly sustaining physical wounds that hadn't healed by the time they'd met on Route 120. Guilt that had already found its way into Steven's gut before the incident began to amass within him – not only was it his fault, he reflected with a frown – that she was this deeply involved, but now it was also his fault she'd been alone at the Weather Institute. Closing his eyes, Steven took another deep breath.

Among their sporadic meetings, he'd come to care about the trainer – _cold, introverted me_, he mused sarcastically. May held a fierce determination masked by her quiet exterior that he'd only seen crack in either a decisive battle – like with Kecleon – or an encounter of their own – like with Latios. Furthermore, again and again her selflessness shone like a beacon of light in the darkness that Hoenn was currently engulfed in, whether it came in the form of Team Aqua, the quiet corruption in the police force and administrative offices that led to the condoning and enabling of Aqua, or the lack of action taken by any other trainer except May to fight back. _It'd be the same with anyone else, if they were put into her position, _he thought with a slow nod. _Regardless… it's my fault._

Skarmory took its trainer's unease as flight sickness and smoothed out its flying, making a gradual descent towards Lilycove. The night was wearing on and Steven had to sort out his mind, rearrange his plans, and stop wasting time. He had other responsibilities, and at this point, stopping Aqua would be near impossible if not by coincidence or without knowing every detail of their plans. And Magma was another story. The thoughts again seized Steven's mind and, with one shaky hand, he pulled out his Pokenav just as Skarmory was circling around Lilycove.

_Brrr, brrrrrr… "Hey!"_

"Wallace," addressed Steven, voice dry. "I have news. Bad news."

A sigh came from the other end of the line, and the man responded, "Hit me with it, Stevo."

* * *

"_I see…"_ Wallace's voice was uncharacteristically hard to read. The fact that Steven hadn't tried to mask what he was saying over the phone line was significant. The threat was too great for the risk_. "I'll start taking precautionary measures in Sootopolis, then."_

Steven hummed in acknowledgement. "I'll do the same, in Mossdeep…"

_"…Wait,"_ the man offered. _"You're the one knee-deep in crap here and having to dig yourself out. Mossdeep will be fine, for now. Turn your million-dollar net worth butt around and go give that girl an apology."_

"Who- May?"

"Yes, _May!" _Wallace snapped._ "She does all that work for you and you just fly off? You're denser than the element you specialize in, Steven."_

Steven mused over the event a few hours prior, stifling a yawn as Skarmory landed just on the outskirts of Lilycove. Truthfully, he'd been planning on staying to watch the girl's gym match with Winona, but the words about Aqua had changed everything. Nervously, he swapped the Pokenav to his left hand. "I-I don't think I can, Wallace."

The man on the other line groaned. "_I don't want any excuses! Look, I know your father has been on your case recently but this is different. She's just a trainer, Steven. And as far as we know, we still have plenty of time. Once you're done there, fly over to Sootopolis – there's some… important topics I need to go over with you before it's too late._" With that, the man hung up.

The trainer recalled Skarmory. His mouth curved into a thin frown. _I didn't mean it that way, _he thought. It wasn't that Steven wasn't able to ride the Pokemon back to Fortree and check in on May; he _couldn't. _In retelling Wallace the events the guilt was nearly sickening and Steven felt he couldn't face May – not now, at least.

Rest – he needed rest. It was late and all kinds of anxiety, fear, and shame were plaguing the man's mind. Even if he might not be able to sleep, he had to lie down and sort out his thoughts; having them a jumbled mess only caused Steven to become even more disoriented. Going against his wise friend's words, Steven found himself a hotel that didn't stand out among the port city's abundance of buildings and settled in for the night.

* * *

"Challenger May!"

Winona's voice echoed across her roomy gym, through the wooden labyrinth below the elevated glass stadium their battle was commencing on. As if on cue, the small windmills and propellers lining the ceiling blew and rattled in a gust of wind. If her sense of power and grace wasn't intimidating, her well-trained and diverse team of bird Pokemon did.

"Forfeit! This match is mine."

I grinded my teeth, staring at Lileep's crumpled figure on the ground. It had just barely been hanging on to consciousness with Ingrain for the past five rounds, and let out a low squeak in response to Winona's words, as though it were agreeing. The deadly glare its opponent – a Skarmory, ironically – was giving it wasn't any more encouraging. Blaziken had fallen, impossibly, to Winona's first Pokemon, Swellow, and Aron to her next, Pelipper. Somehow Lileep had survived to her third, Skarmory, but its speed was outrageous and the small prehistoric Pokemon had no dream of keeping up.

_There's no way you can win, _I told myself, but at that same moment I threw one hand out an ordered Lileep to attack again.

Winona responded, quietly ordering Aerial Ace from Skarmory, and it was over.

* * *

I waved my feet back and forth from my seat on one of Fortree's boardwalks, sighing and flicking through the Pokenav. It was only 9AM. I'd gotten up early to fight the Gym Leader.

Well, part of it was that, at least.

Truthfully, I hadn't slept well. I'd either been plagued with thoughts about Team Aqua's ominous plans, or with thoughts about _him_, that confusing guy that only brought more and more questions to mind. When I found myself cornered by Aqua admins or having lost against Archie in some abstract world full of rain and churning water, or when I was full to the brim with frustration over all of the questions Steven left unanswered, his ever-so-clear words from Route 120 would appear in my mind again – _that's why I like you so much _– and then I'd wake up, anxious and frustrated.

Frowning, I brought my legs up and hugged my knees, gazing out over the treetops that were glittering beautifully in the sunlight. To make matters worse, I'd blown it at the gym match, lost completely. _This is the second time in the row…_ _Am I losing my touch…?_ Doubt clawed its way into my head and I buried my face in my arms. _Or did I never have any real talent to begin with? Who am I kidding…?_

Forgetting about the world around me, I retreated within myself, with the only thing happening outside that I was conscious of were the warm tears dropping into my lap. My thoughts were loud and obtrusive, thoughts about Aqua and my decisions and my father and my family – _Even now, look at me… Crying. I could be healing my Pokemon, training, f-fighting Team Aqua, and instead I'm here…_

The muffled sound of footsteps snapped me back into reality. Someone was climbing the nearby ladder coming from the Gym. Collecting myself, I went back to my previous position and took a deep breath.

Even through my peripheral vision, it was obvious the person approaching was Winona; she carried herself with a certain gracefulness that was almost strange, and aside from that her bright clothes and purple hair made her stand out in the otherwise verdant setting.

"May," she addressed. "I was hoping to catch you in the Pokemon Center."

Swallowing, I replied, "Why?"

The woman hesitated, and though I wasn't looking her direction I could feel her look me over and make a judgment; she then walked up to the spot next to me and leaned on the rope railing. I glanced up; her lavender eyes were narrowed, full of emotion as they scanned across what could hardly be called a city, like she was proud of it. _Of course, _I thought, returning my gaze to the patch of dirt below my feet, _the Gym is basically the only thing keeping this town on the map. Winona is probably relied upon for a lot of things._ I played with the thought, examined it. _That's right… Gym Leaders aren't just a challenge to blow past. They're working people with lives and responsibilities of their own._

"May, you seemed distracted during our last fight. That is why I asked you to forfeit," Winona finally spoke, glancing down at me. "I thought you would merely be overconfident, charging in with a Blaziken – clearly your strongest Pokemon, possibly recently evolved – and then crash, but you persevered for a while."

I felt scrutinized and hid beneath my bangs. "I wasn't thinking."

"No, you weren't," she replied coldly. "But it wasn't just that you were overconfident. As I said, you were distracted with something else. In order to defeat me, you will need to let go of personal problems and hindering thoughts and put your all into the battle. You cannot rely on adrenaline alone, pushing your Pokemon past their limits and ordering their strongest attack out of them each turn."

I bit my lip, suddenly realizing the extent to which I had been sloppy during the battle.

"That," Winona concluded, "is not graceful. And to battle me is to have a battle of grace."

With that, she swooped past me towards the Pokemon Center. Her words were not cruel, nor caring, only criticism, and after a moment of bitterness, I gave myself a slap on the face, stood up, and continued on.

* * *

"Thank you, Nurse," Winona said coolly to the pink-haired woman at the desk, clipping her Pokeballs back to her belt.

The woman nodded in reply. "A pleasure to serve you, Miss Winona."

Turning to leave, the girl thought back to that morning and the battle she'd had with May. The words she'd offered that trainer on the bridge were honest; her loss could hardly be considered one, because of how distracted she was. Winona had been disappointed, at first; _this is the trainer the other Leaders have been talking about?_ The small boy – Wally, was his name? – that had come through a few days prior had been much stronger, much more focused. But then she'd observed May's behavior and realized that she wasn't giving it her all – she wasn't giving the battle barely _anything._ Winona had been offended, and then felt pity for her. Whatever was going on, _had_ been going on, it'd come to a head and was preventing the trainer from showing the Gym Leader her true talent.

Stepping outside, the woman took a deep breath. The day was coming to a close, and still, May had not been spotted. Winona was hoping for a rematch with in the next day or two, but the fact that the trainer was now nowhere in town was a little discerning. Had she been consumed by despair and run back home? Brushing a strand of lavender hair behind her ear, Winona pondered this, before jumping as her Pokenav began to ring.

"This is Winona," she stated curtly, bringing the object to her hear.

"_Hellooo~!"_

Immediately, she moved to end the call.

"_Wait, wait! This is important, Winona."_ Wallace's voice lowered, taking a serious edge, and cautiously, the woman listened.

"_Ah, err… So, have you faced any challengers today?"_

Winona leaned up against a nearby tree, curling some hair around one finger absently. "Yes…"

Hesitation, as Wallace seemed to be switching ears, doing something in the background. _"I see! Were they strong?"_

"Well- in a way. Why do you ask?" She held her tongue; the excuse that it was a work day and she had no time for small talk was only so honest, considering that her only challenger was now gone.

_"Just curious,"_ Wallace replied quickly. "_By the way… has Steven come through lately?"_

The girl looked up at the sky. "Stone…? Yes, around a week ago, on business about you-know-who. Are you looking for him?"

_"Not exactly," _came the man's careful response, making Winona more curious. _"I mean, in the past 24 hours. Late last night or early this morning, specifically?_"

She sighed, hoping she wasn't getting caught up in some drama she didn't know about. "I haven't seen him, Wallace. I apologize. I believe he's busy working to find… _Them_."

There was an exasperated, almost angry sigh from the other end of the line, and in resignation, Wallace responded, "_Okay. Thank you, Winona."_

"Anything Fortree can do to help the League," the leader stated solidly with a nod of her head.

Wallace merely chuckled. "_Oh, this doesn't concern the League. Consider it a personal favor, dear. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go yell at that hardheaded idiot."_

Still completely baffled, Winona merely nodded her head and replied formally, "Understood."

* * *

The trees lining the mountainside path of Mt. Chimney hissed in protest as a cool gust hooked down from the sky and jostled the light undergrowth of ash and leaves. Jagged Pass was nearly empty, save for two figures making their way towards a ledge that overlooked Lavaridge and the surrounding land.

Leading the pair, Maxie walked with a certain leisure, taking in the scenery and appreciating it, but with command and purpose in each step, crunching any stray, rust-colored pine needles beneath his boots should they get stuck in his path. His gaze was focused in front of him, determined, but his brow was furrowed more than it usually was and his mouth was a thin, slanted line; the two of these created very obvious creases of concern on the Magma leader's face, which had not gone unnoticed by his subordinates.

The one trailing Maxie was younger and was marveling at the land in the same way, but was still gruff, scuffing his feet and keeping his distance from his leader. If this was any other hike, Maxie would have requested to be alone, for Tabitha or any other brawny grunt not to accompany him as they would in a populated area. But this was a meeting; a highly important one, the man had told him.

As they reached the clearing, the red rock dropping off into dense forests far below, Tabitha noticed Maxie slowing and did the same. Courtney was there, as she'd promised, and turned away from admiring the view as she heard footsteps approaching to give a solid salute. "Sir!"

Maxie nodded and stood in wait for Tabitha to join them. The admin gave his colleague a nod before bowing his head to his leader, forcing his eyes to peel off of the scene in front of him, with the blurry, orange sun melting into the deep green horizon. There were few spots like this in Hoenn, spots where the ocean was not visible.

Maxie, after taking a deep breath that left both of the admins unsettled, started going over events from the past few weeks – including the exchange with Aqua with information on the trainer from Meteor Falls, as well as the encounter at Southern Island Courtney had apparently had.

"Remember: it is of utmost importance that this girl's view of us remains untarnished," Maxie stressed, giving each of his subordinates a sharp look. "While she is but a child, she may provide us with an advantage with how distracting she is to Team Aqua."

The two saluted again. This time Courtney, spoke up. "Leader Maxie… My report. You received my report?"

Tabitha narrowed his eyes at the girl; her intentions were pure, but the question could easily be seen as impatience.

"Yes, Courtney…" Maxie was careful with his reply, but not in any way upset at the outburst. "My unfortunate announcement I called this meeting for; it has to do with that. As of now, it is safe to say…"

He paused, closing his eyes as his frown grew. In this moment of hesitation another dry breeze blew by, tossing up more dead leaves and swirling around their feet.

"…It is safe to say that Team Aqua is on their way to receiving the Orb as we speak."

Instinctively, Tabitha gritted his teeth. He wanted to ask how, but pounded his head for the answer until he found he had none. Always. Team Aqua was _always_ one step ahead of them.

"However!" Maxie's voice cut through the crisp air, startling both of the admins. "They may have the advantage, but that doesn't mean we will retreat so easily. My plan is to deploy a team to Mt. Pyre – the location Courtney cites that Aqua has closed in on – and prevent Archie from obtaining the orb." After a pause, the red-haired man nodded. "I will join the offensive force myself. Do not let yourself and your subordinates to become discouraged at this news. Magma is far from being out of options. We _will _succeed in awakening Groudon, no matter the cost!"

As he finished, a wild gust blew up from the cliffs, causing the leader's jacket to ripple in the wind and the hoods of both admins to toss themselves off of their heads as each of them clapped their feet together and brought one hand up in a salute. "Yes, sir!"

* * *

The lively, green scenery surrounding me was dyed a hot red as, somewhere off to the west, the sun was melting into the horizon. I brought one arm up to wipe the sweat from my forehead and glanced over at my Pokemon from my perch atop a tree branch.

They were tired. That much was obvious; having trained nonstop for however many hours – I'd lost track of time – and having to deal with the air of Route 119 that was heavy and moist, it wasn't surprising to me that most of them were on the brink of collapsing.

_If I don't head back now, I might not get the healed in time to challenge the Gym tonight…_ I realized, hopping off of the branch. _But before that, there's one more thing I want to do… _With a nod, I approached Blaziken, who was standing off to the side now as its sparring partner, Aron – no, _Lairon _now – took on Pelipper. It looked up at me and chirped, no different than Torchic had.

"I know you're tired, birdbrain, but I have a request!"

The Pokemon tilted its head and suddenly I remembered that it probably had no idea what I was talking about. Despite this, I continued. "At the Weather Institute, I wasn't able to defend myself and I almost got into some serious trouble… But I can't back down now, so I want to learn to fight back on my own, in case I don't have you guys with me."

Still, Blaziken appeared confused, but it was at least listening.

Puffing out my cheeks in frustration, I made a chopping movement in the air, followed by a kick. "C'mon, Blaziken, teach me! Double Kick, Karate Chop!"

At this, the Pokemon seemed to understand – to an extent – and bounced excitedly before demonstrating a simple kick. But what was simple to this Fighting-type was a lot different in my eyes. Up close, Blaziken's power was almost scary; in the blink of an eye the massive leg cut through the air, creating a whipping noise, ending at an angle to its body and remaining perfectly still. Something like that, at full power, could probably knock the head off of a man.

With a deep breath, I attempted to mimic the Pokemon's stance and kick, one bare foot rising into the air. Immediately I lost my balance and collapsed into the mud. It was cool and almost refreshing, but upon closer look had a number of worms squirming about below the surface. _Yuck._

Blaziken grunted in irritation and crossed its arms as I pulled myself back up. "_Blaze!_"

"Yeah, yeah, well, I'm not a Fighting-type!" I stick my tongue out at the Pokemon before assuming the stance again.

"_Blaze,_" it grumbled, dropping again into its stance in front of me so that I could better emulate it. "_Ken!"_

_Maybe I shouldn't try copying its kicks directly yet… I should aim lower, _I thought, taking another breath and thrusting one foot out once more. It was weak, and my leg was visibly shaking, but I felt balanced. Grinning, I held the position for as long as possible, and when my thigh started to burn I returned to the starting stance.

"Well? How was that?" I puffed out my chest and nodded. "Pretty good, right?"

"_Blaziken,_" replied the Fire-type gruffly, crossing its arms.

* * *

The training routine managed to crawl on for another hour until I finally took pity on my Pokemon and called them back, giving Blaziken one extra berry and a high-five for the teaching. I rinsed my face with some cool, clear water from a nearby stream, slipped on my shoes, and began the hike back to Fortree from the humid, overgrown bowels of Route 119, happy to have forced out yesterday's frustration from my mind.

At the Pokemon Center, the nurse raised an eyebrow at my disheveled appearance, but said nothing as she took my Pokemon in for restoration. I took her hint and hit the showers, feeling miles better than I had that morning despite the hard work. After redressing came the abundance of scratches and bruises from the Blaziken self-defense training: I retrieved some rarely-used antibiotic from my bag (_Mom must have stuffed it in there, _I thought) and carefully wrapped each of my feet and hands.

By the time I strolled back into the lobby, the nurse was back at her desk, holding a tray full of six familiar Pokeballs.

* * *

"Aerial Ace!" Winona's voice cut through the air, as sharp as the wings of the Pokemon she commanded. "Cut it down! This Gym has no need for flightless birds."

Skarmory shrieked, a noise that sounded like a mix of demented laughter and chalk running across a blackboard, and curved around one end of the gym back towards Blaziken.

I shouted back with the same intensity: "Blaze Kick!"

Both my Pokemon and I knew the attack would risk everything. _But Aerial Ace…_ I bit my lip. _It never misses. This is my only chance to take down Skarmory…!_ The battle was 4-on-4, and both Lileep and Pelipper had already gone down between Winona's Swellow and Pelipper. _If I can just pull through here…_

Blaziken did a running jump, cracking the wood floor in the process, and soared up into the air as though it had grown wings. _It does seem fired up… I thought it was because we lost the first match, but maybe… Blaziken is technically a bird, too._ Out of nowhere, the Pokemon's leg began to shimmer and flames swirled around it as it readied its signature attack.

"_Skarmory!"_

_ "Blaziken!"_

Our voices clashed and I glanced at Winona for a moment before my eyes gravitated back over to the center of the battlefield where the two attacks met with a sound like a clap of lightning. A blast of heat and embers blew out from point of impact and I struggled to keep my eyes open.

_Blaziken… I know you can do it…! _I swallowed as I heard a _thud! _in front of me. The Fire-type was down – that had been expected.

But then there was a thud from the other side of the stadium, and I brought my hands from my face in surprise.

It _worked._ "It worked…!" Blaziken's attack, empowered by its ability, had matched – surpassed Aerial Ace and hit Skarmory back. I pumped both my fists into the air.

"Double knockout!" shouted the referee. He cast a wary look at Winona before gesturing to the electronic scoreboard behind him. "The Gym Leader and the Challenger are now both down to one Pokemon!"

Winona smiled coolly as she pulled out the final ball. "That was intense, May. You are truly to be feared when cornered. But now," the device flew through the air with a flick of her wrist, exploding to reveal a large, aquamarine dragon covered in… clouds? "Now, you face my most graceful Pokemon."

My hand tightened around my last Pokeball and I couldn't stop my lips from curving into a smirk. "Go!"

With more force than I intended, I chucked Lairon's ball onto the field. The Pokemon roared as it appeared, much more intimidating in its evolved form. Something swelled up in my chest – I was unsure whether it was pride or confidence – and I reached up as the Pokeball landed back in the palm of my hand with a clap.

"Lairon, Rock Tomb!"

"Altaria, Earthquake!"

* * *

"_T-aria…"_

Silence coated the Gym, an uncomfortable silence, as the majestic Pokemon at last fell to the floor and shriveled up in defeat.

_How…?_ I thought, staring wide-eyed at Lairon. The Pokemon was shaking and coughing, struggling to stand even with four sturdy legs. The metal plates lining its body trembled as though they were close to breaking; the fact that Lairon was paralyzed didn't help. _How did we…_

Winona finally withdrew the Dragon-type Pokemon. Her expression was unreadable. In turn, the referee, with one more wary look at Lairon, called for the end of the match, though his voice was unsure and wavered. It was over. Somehow, through some miracle, Lairon's final Rock Tomb had hit Altaria critically and done enough damage to knock it out.

Suddenly Winona was standing before me with what appeared to be a smile on her face.

"Well, Trainer May… It appears you have beaten me at my own game."

I jumped, surprised by her reverent tone. "I won!" I spurted out, shocked. "I-I mean, thank you. It was a close match." _I had no idea Altaria – it would… know Earthquake… _The first one had nearly knocked Lairon out. Only by mad improvising had the Pokemon survived long enough to land a few attacks on its foe.

She sighed, still smirking. "Well, it may appear that way to you. I believe I underestimated your ability to get out of a tight spot because of your loss the first time we fought. But the way you used Iron Tail to lower Altaria's defense enough for Rock Tomb to finish it off – and Lairon's strength in general… It is a brutish Pokemon, but I must admit that its movements were graceful."

_…Eh? _I swallowed, shoving my hands in my pockets. "That's right…" _Lower the defense…?!_

"Despite that obvious weakness Bird Pokemon have, I will remain devoted to them. And as for you…" Winona retrieved two objects from the ref, who'd scampered over here, still trembling. "The Feather Badge… and the TM for Aerial Ace."

Finally collecting my thoughts, I bowed and took them. "Thank you, Winona." _Damn… my voice is shaking!_ "That was… one of the closest wins I've ever had. But I'm glad you approve of it."

The woman nodded before holding up Altaria's Pokeball. "It must be dark out, by now. Shall we?"

* * *

For the third time in one day, the quiet Fortree nurse took in my Pokemon for healing. I noticed Winona leave a tip at the counter before she leaned her back against the desk and looked over to the Pokenav I was holding, her lavender eyes flashing with interest.

"It may be wise to register each other on our Match Call."

I blinked, then closed the device and handed it to the Gym Leader. "…Okay."

Taking my Pokenav, the woman seemed to pick up on my faked casual tone and went on to explain herself. "After all, since the match was so close, I would appreciate a rematch sometime in the future."

I felt my face heat up. _So it really was that close? U-hg…_ Quickly, I entered my contact info into the device and handed it back to the taller trainer, who appeared to be struggling with the task.

"…Also…" Finishing, Winona placed the item in my palm and slipped hers into one of the many pockets on her sky-blue uniform, "I feel it may be important in the coming weeks to be able to contact each other. There's an ominous feeling on the wind that blows through Fortree…" Her face darkened and, scuffing her feet, the trainer paced towards the exit. "I see you already have Roxanne, Brawly, and Norman's phone numbers, so I inputted Flannery's and Watton's for you, as well. I'm sure you're aware of what's been going on, being no ordinary trainer, May."

Winona glanced back, nodding a farewell, and then her pastel-colored form was swallowed up by the night, the sliding glass doors zipping shut behind her. Her normally stoic expression had seemed so intense. '_What's been going on'… Definitely, she means Aqua. Are the Gym Leaders in on it…?_

A long sigh escaped my chest and I retreated into a room. Even with another badge on hand, I felt discouraged. For a while I sat and stared out the window, trying to calm myself down. The sky was cloudy and obscured any moonlight trying to illuminate Fortree's visage, so the scene quickly became dreary. Pulling the curtains shut, I burrowed into the fresh sheets of the bed and squeezed my eyes shut, praying for sleep to hurry up and take me.


	29. Mt Pyre Part 1: Interior

**A/N: **Ok, I'm taking a break out of the exam rush to update because WOW! It has been a year since I posted this fic! (and since ORAS were announced?!) I can't believe it and I'm really grateful to everyone who has reviewed or favorited this or even read this, it means a lot that people enjoy me bumbling on about May and Hoenn, even after the ORAS hype died down. Thanks!

This is a very short update compared to the others, but I just wanted to get something out there because I once again got behind on writing this!

* * *

**Chapter 29 – Mt. Pyre Part 1: Interior**

_Some amount of days after the Gym Battle…_

"Right, then! You're all dismissed! We'll hit the mountain at sundown!"

A roar erupted from the crowd of rowdy Team Aqua grunts standing in the grassy clearing around Archie, invigorated by his speech. Despite the drizzle – it had been raining nonstop, it seemed, since they'd arrived at Route 120, not that anyone was complaining – they were in good spirits and seemed to process his mission of obtaining the orb easily.

With a confident nod, the man strode over to his second-in-command. Matt straightened as he heard the heavy footsteps and flashed a grin at his boss. In his hands was a wrinkled sheet of paper; the orders Archie had issued to everyone, hastily written out in pencil, were nearly ruined from all the travel and weather. But knowing his admin, the loyal man would've memorized them long ago.

"Yo, boss. I got good news and bad news…" His words were careful, but he kept the easy smirk on his face.

Archie adjusted his collar, keeping the conversation casual. "Hit me with it."

"Well… The good news is that the plan's all set for actions. We could even go early! But I think y'want the cover from the night, right?"

Hearing it from someone else was reassuring. "Yep," he grunted in response. "That way, we can make a quick escape if any… _disruptions_ occur."

"Right, uhhh… 'Bout those disruptions. That's the bad news…"

One thick eyebrow poked up Archie's forehead. "Eh?"

"Team Magma… They're all over the place, back on Route 120, like little rats, trailin' us," Matt explained carefully. He then pulled out a small, digital camera, and turned it towards Archie for him to see.

Sure enough, the mustached man realized as he flicked through the gallery and narrowed his beady eyes to see the details of the viewfinder, Team Magma were slowly but surely trekking through the mud and around main paths to avoid contact with trainers or authorities. But they hadn't escaped Aqua's gaze.

Handing the device back to Matt, Archie let out a great bellow, slapping his knee with one hand. "That Maxie! Just like 'im, to take us for a bunch of idiots and go running after us in red outfits like that! N' it doesn't even matter, now!"

Matt gave his boss a curious gaze, shifting awkwardly. "What d'ya mean, sir?"

After a few more seconds, Archie sobered, and, eyes shining, confidence practically permeating from his skin, replied, "They're too far behind. There's no way they could beat us to Mt. Pyre. We might as well have the Red Orb right here with us, now."

But Archie failed to notice another familiar figure in the background of one of those pictures; a trainer who despite her notoriety with Team Aqua had gone unnoticed. May, too, was on their trail, headed for Pyre. A small, dirty, generic-looking trainer, face obscured by messy bangs and the foliage, bare arms and calves covered in mud and small scratches from hiking through the wild terrain of Route 120. But certainly, she didn't resemble the girl that had come face-to-face with Archie on Mt. Chimney.

Whether May realized it or not, she was closing in on destiny.

* * *

"Lombre, return!"

The quiet Pokemon obediently disappeared back into its ball, which I then clipped to my bag. The passage between Route 121 and the enormous island hadn't been too difficult for it to traverse; the water was unusually serene for Hoenn and seemed abandoned by the normal seafaring Pokemon like Wingull and Tentacool. It was as muggy as ever in the Hoenn wilds, but I felt a cool draft coming from the mountain rising up in front of me.

Swallowing, I closed my eyes and prepared myself for the next challenge I was to face. It seemed like forever since the incident at the Weather Institute, and there were many things I was trying to repress, but every night I reminded myself: _Mt. Pyre. Mt. Pyre. _That was Team Aqua's next target, and whether I liked it or not, it was mine, too. And the place just happened to be on the way to Lilycove. Because of that ominous lore surrounding it, and because of the threatening words Shelly had muttered that stormy afternoon, the unrealistic goals of Team Aqua suddenly seemed very, very real to me.

I hadn't been able to reach Steven at all since that time, either. Standing here, at the foot of this mist-shrouded mountain whose peak ascended up past the clouds and into the heavens, I was alone.

I was still for a while, staring at this Mt. Pyre, trying to find the peak, to no avail. A mountain jutting out of the ocean – truly another one of Hoenn's strange features. What would my friends back home think? There wasn't any time to mull over it. _My hand is shaking, _I suddenly realized, and quickly clenched both gloved fists to stop the feeling, only to be counterattacked with the trembling of my knees.

_I can't be scared. There's not enough time. I can handle this much, at least. If it's anything like the Weather Institute, I can handle it. My Pokemon are much stronger now, and I have Blaziken's training if I get into trouble. _I closed my eyes once more. In the period between getting the Feather Badge and now, I hadn't once flown home. Was that a mistake? I didn't know. But Pelipper was in a box now, anyways, so if I wanted to chicken out, I couldn't.

With one last breath, I stepped into the mountain.

* * *

"Sir, Team Aqua – they've already left!" Exclaimed a grunt as she tripped and stumbled into the group's makeshift camp.

Maxie immediately rose from his seat on a tree stump and called the party of Team Magma members to attention. "We must mobilize! Team Aqua cannot get that Red Orb!"

His voice served as a call to arms for all of the worn out grunts, and they sprang to their feet, saluting in unison. It was perfect, to Maxie, seeing how well behaved and respectful these people were – not to mention, dedicated to his cause. For some, it had taken… manipulative convincing, to get them to enlist. But nothing Team Aqua hadn't done. Furrowing his brow, he turned to Courtney, who had just come back from reconnaissance.

"Any updates?" Maxie's voice was hushed, but still as sharp and demanding as always.

Courtney, who was rather used to it, gave a swift salute before speaking in a similar manner: "The trainer May has gone ahead, crossed the bay already, as I suspected. I suspect Team Aqua was planning to begin their assault at sundown?"

Maxie chuckled. "Of course; they have such poor coordination that it's only expected they'd take as obvious a cue as the sunset. As for the girl…" He paused in their short walk around the Magma camp, flashing a reassuring look at his subordinate. "Yes. Then it's all going to plan. If there is enough space between us and her now, we should depart."

Courtney paused, meeting her boss's gaze and trying to decipher something from it, before clapping her feet together and saluting. "Understood, sir!"

* * *

A strange chill had clipped onto my spine the moment I had crept into Mt. Pyre. Surprisingly, the place was furnished and not just an empty cave, though barely; the monochrome tile floor was lined with rough, gray headstones, and scattered throughout each level of the mountain's interior was a mix of somber adults mourning in silence, or bizarre trainers using Psychic-types. Flourescent lights lined the bottom floor and the stairways that would disappear into the rocky walls of the mountain, while on upper floors, the only incoming light was from rough windows and candles.

The chill bothered me the most, moreso than the trainer's weird looks or the feeling of death the entire place emanated. I tried to shake it off, but ghosts were something you never wanted to mess with – I'd been told that one time by and old man in Ecruteak City. And despite how peaceful and well-intentioned this graveyard-tower was, it was obvious that the walls and floors were in need of a renovation. Were I any younger, I'd feel like I'd been trapped in a horror movie.

Battling trainers here and there, and dropping questions about suspicious activity or Aqua, I moved through the higher floors in the tower. Occasionally shadows would bounce and dance off of the walls, which was upsetting to me and even _more _upsetting to all of my Pokemon. As I entered the uppermost level, the chill got worse, and, biting my lip, I released Blaziken from its ball.

"…Uwah!"

Suddenly I was tumbling forwards, right into Blaziken, knocking the Pokemon into a large tombstone and collapsing onto on some smaller ones. _What the hell…? Did I trip?! On what?!_ Cursing under my breath, I collected myself and got to my feet. Blaziken was growling now, red-hot flames rising from its wrists and licking at the fog surrounding us. _Is it just irritated? Or is there something out there…?_

_"…Skull…_"

A shiver wracked my spine. _That voice… I-it was…_

"_Dusk... Skull…"_

Dry, echoey… "J-just like…" I grinned dryly at Blaziken. "A g-ghost!"

Just then the fog cut open dramatically, and from the opening came a dark, glowing ball of energy. Blaziken was barely fast enough to stop it, drilling one fiery foot into its center, and the two attacks dissipated. But the Fire-type was breathing heavily, obviously as unnerved as I was.

_"DUSKULL…"_

"T-there's the voice again!" I peeped. "B-but that _was_ an attack, so maybe…?"

_Ding!_

"_Duskull, the Requiem Pokemon. Duskull wanders lost among the deep darkness of midnight. There is an oft-told admonishment given to misbehaving children that this Pokémon will spirit away bad children who earn scoldings from their mothers."_

"It's a Pokemon!" For the first time in a while, a refreshing jolt of excitement zipped through my fingertips and I burrowed into my bag for a new Ultra Ball. "Blaziken, find it and attack!"

Reluctantly, the Pokemon grunted and leaped into the fog. _It's a Pokemon, not a ghost. I can fight a Pokemon. _Carefully, I listened to the sounds of battle, trying to pinpoint where the two Pokemon were clashing, and, when Blaziken reemerged from the fog and ducked to the side, I hurled the device with a grunt.

_"Skull!_" I barely caught a glimpse of the wisp-like creature before it flashed into red light. Small, around the size of my head, and gray. But Duskull was a Ghost-type – it must be a rare Pokemon.

_Click!_

"Yes!" I flashed Blaziken a wide grin and skidded across the rough tiling over to the ball. "A Duskull! Give him a warm welcome, stupid bird!"

_"Blaze…_"

* * *

In exploring the deepest parts of Mt. Pyre, with still no sign or word of Team Aqua, I felt a cool breeze. It was unnatural; up until now, every room had been stuffy and misty, as still as the dead that the tombstones were remembering. My curiosity got the best of me, and, recalling Blaziken, I turned down a dim corridor.

Waiting at the end was a small, metal plaque, next to a cheap set of heavy double doors. More mysteries surfaced in my mind as I screwed up my face and squatted down to read it.

**MT. PYRE – EXTERIOR**

_Exterior? _I frowned. _You can hike the mountain? And these footprints… _They weren't nearly faint enough to go unnoticed. Dozens of muddy footprints, all heading out this exit. Tightening my jaw, I swung open the door and was greeted with a blast of cool, humid, but fresh air, and a sudden tension in each breath that I'd never felt before.

_Team Aqua is here._


	30. Mt Pyre Part 2: Exterior

**A/N: **Chapter 30! Wow! And nearing 100 followers… Thanks everyone!

To avoid confusion, going off of RSE and not ORAS, the Blue Orb awakens Groudon and the Red Orb awakens Kyogre, vice versa for calming them. It was switched in the remakes which I think makes a little more sense, but I'm going off of the originals here in this case *shrugs*

* * *

A shiver wracked Steven's darkly-clothed frame as he stepped into a large estate nestled between the upper hills of Sootopolis City and the large, rocky outcroppings surrounding it. It was an unusually cold night, and he'd accidentally flown through a rain cloud on his way here.

Wallace took notice of this as he welcomed the man inside. "You go for a swim?"

"Just some bad weather, Wallace," Steven responded, turning to recall Skarmory before moving through the doorway and removing his jacket. The strong air conditioning in Wallace's home wasn't exactly helping his situation. "It was a pretty rough flight, so I hope you have a good reason for calling me over here…"

The blue-haired man only huffed, crossing his arms. "Nice to know you're in a grumpy mood! Anyway, come in and sit down! We need to talk."

Steven followed his friend into the adjacent room – Wallace's house seemed endless, and its floors sparkled as though they were made of ice, the furnishings all in the perfect place as though he were an interior designer – and took a seat on one of the velvet couches, not worrying about his still damp clothes. Wallace was a Water-type trainer after all, mused Steven, and also a Gym leader who was paid enough to afford a new cushion.

After a minute the Gym trainer returned from his kitchen, holding two mugs of rich coffee, the thick smell immediately filling the room and warming Steven some. He raised an eyebrow at the silver-haired man and passed him a cup before taking a seat himself, propping up his feet on the glass coffee table.

"So, you had something in mind? What sort of plan do you have for Sootopolis, in the event that worst comes to worst?" Steven questioned, not hesitating to get straight to the point. The bags under the man's eyes told Wallace that they'd both been stressing over similar issues.

"The defense of my city is well-off, I'll have you know," replied the Gym trainer, taking a drink. It was already fairly late at night, but he couldn't afford to grow weary in his talks with Steven. The issue was serious, and with every new piece of news became even worse. "The townspeople know what to do in case of emergency. The only spots that could really flood out would be the places on the shore, since Sootopolis is like one big bowl… They all will have no problem retreating to higher ground, and my Gym will be there to assist if needed."

Steven nodded, though the crease in his forehead told Wallace that he wasn't satisfied with this report. "And what if…" The man paused and bit his lip. "What if the entire city needs to be _evacuated_, Wallace? The only way out of here is by sea or sky. If both are rough, there's no way to get an entire population out."

Wallace stopped, mulled over the problem for a bit, and then took another casual sip of coffee. "Well, that'd be bad, wouldn't it? But, Steven, let me show you something…" The man stood and paced over to a window behind them, sliding open the shutters and gesturing through the opening.

Steven took the cue, approaching Wallace and staring out the window.

Ahead of them stretched Sootopolis, dozens upon dozens of small, rectangular abodes clinging to the cream-colored cliffs and soft green fields like puffs of cotton. In this hour of the night many were lit up, creating specks of orange and vermillion within the white blobs that eventually sloped into the reflective pool at the bottom of the crater. Moving his gaze upward, Steven marveled for the umpteenth time the spires of earth that encircled the city. They were taller, more massive than any skyscraper, and though seeing them from the angle Wallace's house was at would impress anyone, from the bottom of Sootopolis City, the rim seemed like an impenetrable wall. Truly, it was an amazing place, one of Hoenn's miracles of nature. What had Sootopolis been like millions of years ago, when it was filled to the brim with hot magma?

Eventually, Wallace began to snap his fingers in his friend's face and Steven was drawn out of his fantasies.

"So," the trainer brushed his azure bangs from his face and smirked, "do you really think a little rain would give us reason to evacuate the entire city?"

Steven was only partially convinced of this point, but, taking another glance out the window, gave in. "I suppose not."

"Good!" Wallace bounced off into the kitchen with both of their empty cups, returning nearly seconds later with two glasses of wine. "Now, then, we have another matter that needs discussing. Take a seat."

Sighing at his friend's suspicious enthusiasm, Steven moved back over to the couch and reluctantly brought the glass to his lips (ever since he'd become legally able to drink, he couldn't visit Wallace's house without being offered some exotic sort of wine). The sweet taste was a little overwhelming after the flat coffee. "What other matter? If anything, we should try and figure out what Aqua's next steps will be, and how to better prepare for them with the media still on my trail."

"Mm-mm-mm," the trainer wagged a finger in the silver haired man's face and hummed. "_This _is what we need to talk about." Setting down his glass, Wallace reached up and ruffled his bangs, tugged on his hair, and made a determined expression.

_What is he- _"Oh." Of course – this was an impression of May.

"Don't 'oh' me. You didn't apologize, did you?" He reverted, turning around and crossing his legs on the couch.

Steven exhaled, taking another sip of the drink and running a hand through his hair.

"You didn't! You didn't even call her? That poor girl… Another victim to your poor social skills, I suppose." Wallace sat back with a chuckle. "What exactly is the deal with you two, anyway?"

The silver-haired man stared down into the cup at the translucent liquid, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"Well, is there something worth talking about? After all, you seem awfully downcast after I brought her up." He shrugged. "You two are fighting pretty determinedly for the same cause like the heroic little kids you are, so it seems to me like it'd be wiser to team up and have each other's backs than to work alone like this. Maybe I wouldn't have to pull my hair out over the thought of Sootopolis facing a flood!"

Steven remained unusually quiet, eyes focused on the wine, shoulders slumped. "…Wallace, May is still a rookie trainer. Given my ranking, I can't just walk her through everything – especially while she's taking on the Gym challenge."

The opposing man shrugged, taking another sip. "Well, 'rookie' isn't really how she sounded when you described her to me before. And she's blazing through the Gyms – poor Winona! But I see what you mean, I suppose… But how cruel, to fly off like that, Steven! From what I know, she's just a girl caught up in something far bigger than her. Of course I'd help – _anyone_ who knew what was going on would – but I have the Gym."

Eliciting no response from the younger trainer, Wallace picked up the remote and flicked on the large flat-screen television across the room. After pressing a few buttons, a news report came on, depicting a double battle between a news duo and a female trainer in a wide, grassy area. Steven took a cautious glance up from his drink. The fight burned on and Wallace fast-forwarded until the post-battle interview, where he paused the footage.

"As much as I hate picking apart people's appearances, what does that look like to you, Steven?" the Gym leader inquired, sitting back on the couch and gesturing to the close-up of the trainer in question on the screen.

Steven sighed and dropped his misty eyes back to the wine.

"I mean, she could look like hell for other reasons, but she's all alone. I can't help her – none of the leaders can. This girl's facing everything head on while trying to juggle the Gym challenge, right? Unless I'm mistaken, you're the only one who's reached out to her to try and help with this Aqua-Magma nonsense. Do you see where I'm going?" Wallace downed the rest of his drink as he finished, resting his elbows on his knees.

Steven's grip on the glass tightened, and his face suddenly became very serious, earning a raised brow from Wallace. Hesitantly, he spoke. "It's… not that I don't want to offer her my assistance, Wallace. But May is a very strong trainer, and I've told you enough about her potential. Not to mention," he stirred the wine around, "courageous, and down-to-earth despite her unrealistic sense of heroism. She treats Pokemon very kindly – it's endearing, really."

The trainer looked up and was slightly shocked by the predatory expression on his friend's face. "Well, the great Steven is complimenting someone!"

Clearing his throat, Steven continued. "…The point is, I still believe she's capable of handling things on her own, at least for now. If worst does come to worst, I will definitely step in, whether May is up to the challenge or not – after all, I've been after those foul groups since before she became involved – but I can't just drop my responsibilities with the League and Devon…"

Hearing himself say it, Steven realized how silly his reasoning was, but Wallace accepted it with a hum. "I see where you're going. All I'm saying is," he brought one thin hand up to gesture to the television, "at the very least, this girl deserves an apology. It's minimal compared to everything else happening. You can cover some mistakes with pretty Devon tech, but I don't think you realize the effect a personal apology might do to someone dealing with all this, pardon my language, Aqua shit."

Setting the unfinished wine on the table and leaning back into the couch, Steven let out a long sigh, considering his friend's words.

* * *

**Chapter 30 – Mt. Pyre Part 2: Exterior**

The outer section of Mt. Pyre was like an entirely different world. Not only was it a huge shift from the interior of the area, and from Hoenn itself, but the environment was nothing like anywhere I'd ever been before. It was a graveyard, but it was more than that – this was the peak of a mountain, covered in soft, ankle-length grass and dotted with tombstones that shone with fresh dew. Out over the sides of the steep cliffs that ran along the peak's edge were clouds, clouds that I had somehow hiked far above, as they stretched as far as the eye could see, obscuring any view of the land and ocean below and making it impossible to gauge just how high above sea level this place was. Occasionally, a wispy, high-soaring cloud would blow across the plains, phasing through the ruined rock walls and tombstones like a lost spirit.

Fog curled and writhed around my feet as I cautiously stepped along a trail I wasn't even sure lead to the place I wanted. All I needed to find was a sign of Team Aqua. Luckily, there were living Pokemon up here, and it brought me comfort to see the occasional Vulpix or Meditite going about its business in the deeper sections of grass. It reminded me that I hadn't unknowingly passed into some kind of spirit zone to which there was no return. Ignoring the shivers that harassed my spine, I scaled some more staircases, waded through the grass until my sneakers were soaked through and through, and kept my gaze forward.

As the path became thinner and steeper, the wild Pokemon became more scarce, the mist deeper, the air more difficult to breath. I bit my lip to diffuse my nerves and then flipped open the Pokenav, only to find that it'd long ago lost service. _Darn…_ _Guess there's no telling how far up I am…_

Eventually I found a place to sit and rest. Leaning on a tombstone seemed immoral, so I found a somewhat intact step and sat back, trying to catch my breath. _I'm not sure how elevation and air pressure and that stuff works, but… I feel so fatigued… How much higher can this path go? Could Aqua even come this far…? Or…_ The thought was daunting. _Did they already leave? Am I too late…?_

My fists clenched on their own and I pulled myself back to my feet. _No matter what, I should hurry. The sooner I can get back to the interior, the better._

Ahead of me was the longest set of stairs the mountain had presented yet, all cleaned of grime and weeds and colored a bright white. I let out an exasperated sigh. _You can do this, May!_

My mind was flooded with memories as I began my ascent into the twilight above.

_"It's a noble cause, really. We only wish to expand the sea and the marine Pokemon habitat that it provides; this will, then, do good for all of Hoenn, Pokemon and people… For the entire world, perhaps."_

_"…the concept of oceanic expansion sure is suspicious…"_

_"It seems that you may already realize that Team Aqua's plans for the future will do everything but assist mankind. They are selfish, and working for themselves, and their intentions are a danger to everyone."_

_"As I said in Slateport, the sea is of utmost importance to everyone, and everything. It is beauty. And it is home to so many Pokemon, and makes up most of our world. Team Aqua is willing to go to any lengths to expand it."_

_"All you need to understand is that Team Aqua plans to expand the sea and bring this world back to nature for the sake of Pokemon – for the sake of everyone."_

_"There's gotta be specifics… on how to attain this world…"_

_"…neither of you can stop us, now can you? I may not have the disc with the weather control data on it, but I've got some much more important information… kiddie."_

"_Archie is waiting… Mt. Pyre is waiting…"_

_"I feel Team Aqua is closing in on whatever goal they want to accomplish."_

_"…This is bad."_

…"Huff, huff…"

The air had gotten even cooler and thinner by the time my legs pulled me up over the final step. I took only a moment to catch my breath, slouching over, and observed the land ahead of me.

_Fin… all…y… _I brought up a hand to wipe sweat from my forehead and observed the flat area ahead. Like the rest of the mountain, it was grassy and covered in tombstones, ruined walls, and rocks, but there was a noticeable path running up the middle to one final set of stairs. My eyes wandered down that path, ignoring the sets of blue-wearing Aqua grunts loitering on either side, and locked on the back of a figure I would never forget. Even at such a distance, I knew this man was Archie. The name echoed through my head, bringing me back into consciousness, and I gritted my teeth. _Archie… Archie… Archie…!_

I stepped forwards, catching the attention of the first grunt in a long line of battle-ready Aqua members. He didn't seem shocked, only raised an eyebrow at me, gave an empty threat, and hurled out a ball in my direction.

Grudgingly, I did the same.

* * *

The last grunt withdrew his fallen Pokemon, eyes narrowed. "You bitch… I won't let you get to the boss… You've messed with us enough, haven't you?!"

I kept my mouth shut, still breathing heavily through my nostrils, and withdrew a heavily-injured Bagon. The man's glare burned holes into my side, but I ignored him and started up the last set of stairs, staring my own set of holes into Archie. He was chatting with Matt – the big, burly man wearing a sleeveless vest was now another one of the people whose image was permanently burned into my mind. Archie's right hand man. Shelly was the other snake that did his dirty work. Scorn and contempt bubbled up in my head as I grew closer, threatening to burst out.

The tight grip of a hot, muscly hand on my forearm drew me from my daze. I swung around, only to find the same defeated grunt there, his other fist reared back behind his crazed face. I half cringed, half brought up one arm in defense, fully prepared to utilize the training I'd done with Blaziken, when there was a new voice.

"Well, well!"

The grunt stopped, his beady eyes widening into moons, and he stumbled backwards a bit before executing a sloppy salute.

"_You, _again."

The deep rumble, sounding neutral but masking a hate that had been growing over a long time, was all too familiar. I slowly turned and, no longer trying to mask what I was feeling, shot Archie a glare. The figures, both high-ranking Aqua officers, turned around to look down on me, two large, menacing silhouettes against the starry night sky that stretched over the summit of the mountain that sat in the heavens.

He raised an eyebrow, not moving from his spot as I scaled the rest of the stairs, the grunt having been put in his place. Standing this close to him, on level ground, would be intimidating for anyone; Archie was a giant. Not only was he tall, muscular, and an experienced trainer, but his position as leader of what I had long ago realized but only recently accepted was the biggest, most threatening, and most manipulative gang in Hoenn caused not just his visage, but his very name to emanate power. But the part of me that wanted to cower and doubt myself and run home was gone. I met his condescending gaze.

"As much as I'd enjoy teaching you a lesson for once again interfering with Team Aqua's plans… I'm afraid, _May_, you're too late." A grin crawled onto the man's face. "The object of legend, the Red Orb which is said to rest atop the heavenly peak of Mt. Pyre…"

A gasp escaped my lips as the man gently drew an object from a pocket of his shirt. A beautiful crimson, shining – _gleaming _in the starlight, like a giant, round ruby, polished into a perfect sphere. I felt as though I was being pulled in, but was conscious enough to stop my feet from moving.

Archie appeared to be equally affected, and quickly, he tucked the object away. I observed him; already he seemed like a different person. He puffed out his chest, chapped lips curling this time into a smirk. His gruff voice was dripping with pride: "It belongs to me, now. To Team Aqua. Now, we can realize our plans…"

I opened my mouth to speak, but found no words and merely stood there, dumbfounded, the red of the object still echoing through my thoughts.

"Alright, crew!" Archie's booming voice, back to its usual mix of jolly and sinister, broke through the peaceful atmosphere of the summit. "Let's pull outta here! To Slateport, next!"

Panic shot up my spine. "Wait-!"

"Matt!" The man addressed his subordinate while crossing his arms. "Take care of things here, will ya? Don't go easy, either." Then, casually, Archie was walking past me, nudging me on the shoulder. "Think of it as a gift for me not being able to fight you here and now, scampy. Matt's a force to be reckoned with at his full strength."

With that, Archie was stepping away from the pedestal, making his escape, his grunts joining him. All at once my anger and fear returned. "Wait! I'm not done with you yet! _Archie_!" I started to pursue him, but was stopped by the sound of a Pokeball cracking open right behind me, followed by an airy growl.

A Sharpedo. I was face-to-face with a Sharpedo.

"C'mon, kid!" Matt mashed his fists together and chuckled. He was grinning, but by the veins popping out of the side of his head, I knew the 'no mercy' thing wasn't something Archie had to remind this man of. "Let's have ourselves a battle!"

I swallowed. _My Pokemon… They're already weakened…_

"May!"

_That voice…_ There was a strange level of concern attached, but it was hauntingly familiar. Turning once more to the path leading down the now dark mountainside, I saw an army of red instead of blue, being lead by a pale-skinned man with a head of bright red hair. Within seconds they were upon Matt and I, Maxie pulling me aside while Courtney took over in battling Matt.

"Team Aqua. Has Archie come through already?" His voice was so demanding that I barely registered it as a question.

"Yes. Archie…" I paused, shaking my head. "Archie has the Red Orb."

The way Maxie's face seemed to contort and age another 10 years made the pit of worry in my stomach grow into a void of anxiety. "What does that mean?" I asked, voice shaking.

But Maxie didn't reply, only backing off some and glancing around like he was trying to figure out some intense math problem in his mind. Matt and Courtney's viscous battle had somehow moved to the lower steps, so I took the moment to move to the very top of the hill where Archie had initially been standing.

Sitting in the center of the clearing was a worn, stone altar, with two pure white pedestals on either side. Beyond this, beyond the dilapidated rock wall bordering this shrine, was nothing; the cliffs dropped off into the clouds far below, and above, the night grew darker. In the faint light provided by a weary little crescent moon, I could see the brilliant gleaming of another object similar to Archie's Red Orb on the altar, but before observing any more, I was approached by an elderly couple I hadn't even realized were there.

"Oh, no, no, no…" The voice of an old woman cracked and shivered as she kept her thin eyes directed at the ground. "This cannot be… this can't happen… How… how could this have occurred?"

The old man standing nearby merely shook his head, slowly, like it took much effort. "This is a disaster…"

I stepped forwards, keeping my hands at my sides. "What's happened? The Red Orb that Archie had… it was here?"

The words apparently triggered her further and she recoiled. "No…! How could the Red Orb be stolen?" At last, she acknowledged me. "Listen to me, child. I see no evil in you as I did in that man. As you now realize, the Red and Blue Orbs are not merely items of legend. They're real."

I frowned. I'd faintly read about them in Birch's textbook, but, like most of Hoenn's lore, it was vague.

"And they are kept together, up here on this remote, heavenly place, for a reason." The old woman stared into my eyes and for a moment it felt like she was reading my own soul, determining whether I was worthy of her trust. "One orb must never be taken away from the other. They cannot be separated. They must remain together… Or else disaster will come…"

With this, she went back into her fit, pacing back and forth as fast as a woman probably well into her 90's could pace, and muttering worriedly to herself. I searched within myself for words and then finally spoke, taking a careful step towards her. "Miss… I'm a trainer – _the_ trainer going after Archie. I promise, I'll get back the Red Orb."

She paused once more, glancing up, and for a second I saw her eyes, infinitely wise black orbs with a hint of violet. "…Young one… Fine, then… Young one, if your words are sincere, we will entrust the remaining orb to you. The Blue Orb…" Hesitantly, she stepped aside, clearing the way to the altar. The old man gazed up at me, somewhat hopeful, and I tried to give him a reassuring smile.

Any objections I had in store, stayed in store, once I got a closer look at the object in question. It was a deep, deep blue, a splash of color in the dull landscape of Mt. Pyre's summit. Beautiful, moreso than any gem. This was the sapphire to the Red Orb's ruby. I drew closer, feet scuffing on the wet grass, one hand rising and moving out towards the orb. It wasn't just the appearance that was so mystical, but the lore surrounding it; this was an item of legend, like the Soul Dew, except somehow it seemed more surreal than the object treasured by Latias and Latios. _Maybe this is destiny that's causing my body to move on its own, _I mused, drawing in a shaky breath of the moist, paper-thin air.

Gulping, I removed my glove from my right hand and then finished the motion, taking the orb from its spot. It seemed to be just the right weight, just the right size for my hand. For a moment, I felt reassured, so reassured that it was blissful. _All of this was destiny. This object I'm holding… Something as legendary as the Blue Orb… Definitely, with this, I can stop Archie._

_BA-BUMP_

A jolt ran up my spine at the noise, jostling my inner peace I'd just found. _What the hell was that-?!_

_ BA-BUMP… BA-BUMP…_

Swallowing, I looked around frantically. Nothing had changed. Still the same wispy, ghostlike mist hovering across the grass, the same twinkling stars above, the same solid ground below. _Am I imagining things?_

** _BA-BUMP_**

It was loud, this time, so loud that I winced. In the moment that my eyelids shut and cast my vision into darkness, a blinding red light overcame me. _What the hell?! _I struggled, flailed in the red, to no avail. Then the world around me changed; the air became heavier, soggier, the pressure spiked. What had once been too light to breath became too heavy. I panicked, still feeling the cool texture of the Blue Orb in my hand, and let out a soundless scream.

Then, as sudden as it had appeared, the red faded to black. _Is it done…? _I motioned to open my eyes, but was still greeted with darkness. _Urgh… Ugh… _The pressure on my body spiked all of the sudden and the black turned to blue, a blue way too similar to the orb I'd just grasped. Water. Not calm, still water, but water thrashing about like a crazed animal, and more water coming from this way and that, cool flecks and daggers stabbing the ocean. A storm. Something unimaginably severe, so terrifying that I could feel tears forming in my eyes despite not knowing what was going on. Then the image shifted and I was underwater again, but the water was churning angrily. I struggled, unable to tell up from down, left from right, all I could feel was the orb in my hand, and I started to pray that whatever was happening would stop.

Then, amidst this mess, an image shot through my head like a lightning bolt. Quick, flickering, shaky, but it remained long enough for me to process it. A blue mass, and a white mass, with one red line running through it. There was a dark, round area beneath the red line, too - w_hat is that…? _I studied it closer, trying to block out the vertigo. The red line was glowing faintly, gradually becoming brighter… The Blue Orb in my hand resounded to it, suddenly getting hot, hotter… _My hand… Ah-! My hand is burning!_ ?

_ BA-BUMP BA-BUMP BA-BUMP BA-BUMP_

_ Ping! _A thin, bright yellow ring appeared all of a sudden in the black circle, and in turn the orb sizzled, sending a strong wave of heat up my arm, and then I was greeted with darkness.

"Young miss?"

_…!_ The darkness gradually faded back to the grayish landscape of Mt. Pyre. The heat was gone, replaced by the familiar cool of the Blue Orb in my palm. I was in the same position I'd been in in taking the orb, and, looking down, I saw that my clothes were dry.

Inside, I was in a panic.

"Yes. Thank you," I couldn't hide the shakiness in my breath and the pale color that my skin had turned from the old couple. "I'll hunt down Archie and get back the Blue Orb. I promise."

"Good luck, miss," said the old man with a bow.

"I pray my trust in you is well placed, young one," the old woman chimed, following suite.

I squeezed the orb before stuffing it into my bag with everything else. They didn't seem to realize what had happened, at all. I gave them another nod. "I'm sorry – I should get going. I'm not used to the thin air up here, it's starting to get to me!" With that, I turned to leave…

…Only to nearly bump into Maxie.

"Oh! Um…"

He stared down at me with a cold, calculating expression, eyes narrowed, hands folded behind his straightened back. The man's aura wasn't much different from Archie's. I shrunk backwards, waiting for him to say something. _Has he been here the whole time?_

"…Yes, this is fine. Very well…"

"Maxie, sir… Are… you sure…?" muttered Courtney, who was leaning against a boulder and casting hesitant glances at me every few seconds with her lavender eyes. "Team Magma's goal is to-"

"To _stop Team Aqua_," Maxie interrupted his subordinate. I raised one eyebrow, looking between the two, but got nothing from the exchange except that the Magma members had stiffer communications than Aqua did. "And there is _no _better way to achieve this purpose than to entrust an artifact as powerful as the Blue Orb…" He brought one hand up to my shoulder and nodded at Courtney. The gesture caught me by surprise. _And his skin… _I gazed at the part of his hand not covered by the thick overcoat. The skin was a grayish pink, like ash, and almost translucent, the veins beneath visible. "…to a Pokemon trainer with as _valiant_ a heart as this girl."

Feeling slightly gratified by the cold man's compliment, I managed a smile and a quick nod. "Um, thank you, Mr. Maxie. And… Courtney, for taking on Matt."

"But of course, May," the man continued, gesturing for Courtney to step closer. His expression darkened. "If Archie has obtained the Red Orb, such tasks are trivial compared to what will come…"

The pool of anxiety in my stomach stirred with Maxie's words. "What… do you mean? What's the significance of the Red Orb? I read that it has something to do with Hoenn's legendary Pokemon, but…" I thought back to the strange vision. "What does it have to do with Team Aqua's plans to expand the sea…?"

The older man shook his head. "I am afraid that the term 'expand the sea' does not even begin to define what Team Aqua shall accomplish should they utilize the Red Orb. No…" His jaw tightened, and Courtney, too, seemed downcast. "This would be more like a worldwide event, a massive flood, something out of fantasy. Apocalyptic. That fool has had no idea what he's been getting into since the very beginning. The sea – _pah_! The land we humans live on is much more vital to our survival!"

"What do you mean?!" I questioned, fed up with my own ignorance on the subject. This 'dream' of Archie's suddenly seemed real, horrifyingly realistic. "_How_?!"

"The beasts that formed this world…" A fourth voice entered the conversation, and I swung around to find the old man who had been guarding the orbs approaching us. His entire person was slumped over, like he'd just been rained on. "Child, it seems you are unfamiliar with the tale of Hoenn's origin… Will you listen to this old man's story?"

Taking a deep breath, I nodded. _Getting angry won't solve anything, May…_ Maxie and Courtney shifted close to the old man and I tensed, trying to focus all of my attention on his words.

"…Long ago, this world was beaten and wrecked by the conflict between two immensely powerful Pokemon. These were Groudon, the behemoth of the land, and Kyogre, the leviathan of the ocean. The two fought nonstop and mercilessly…"

The old man paused to catch his breath as a breeze blew over the peak.

"…Through the abilities of Groudon, massive chunks of earth were displaced, continents rose into the skies, the land was terraformed… Likewise, through Kyogre's abilities, oceans thrashed about and water poured uncontrollably from the heavens. Merciless heat, viscous rains…"

"The Red Orb and the Blue Orb were the only artifacts capable of calming the rage of these two Pokemon; the Red quelled Groudon, whereas the Blue quelled Kyogre. Filled with exhaustion and relieved of their fury, the Pokemon retreated to the deepest recesses of the land and sea, never to be seen by man again."

Silence blanketed the mountain as the man finished, then bowed and excused himself back to the altar. I stood dumbfounded, trying to process the eerie legend. _What does that mean, now? Archie… he found out about this, and… _Heavy nausea hit me like a train. _No… He plans to reawaken Kyogre?_

"Sir?"

"Most of this I was aware of, but… Hearing it from one such as this man confirms everything. Archie is going to stir Kyogre from its slumber using the power of the Red Orb which once quelled Groudon…"

I felt faint. "How… How can anyone stop this? I was too late… I was…"

Both Magma members eyed me, but said nothing of comfort. "Courtney, the preparations I mentioned must be put into action now. There is no time… May."

"Yes?"

Despite the news, Maxie still held the confident and strict air that he had before, and somehow it was reassuring. He folded his hands behind his back once more. "I believe it would be advantageous in the prevention of Kyogre's awakening… For you to join us."

"J-join Team Magma?" Somewhere within me was doubt. "But… I-I…"

Maxie shook his head. "Not enlist; join us in a meeting before Archie puts his plan into action. I believe Team Magma has the means to end Archie's plan, that is, if you are not able to first… But it is late and you appear to be fatigued."

"It is your decision to make, but remember that you have very little time to worry about anything Archie has said about Magma. _You _have the Blue Orb; he posseses the Red Orb. Things will escalate quickly if we do not act, together…" Maxie then turned, gazing out over the rest of Mt. Pyre. "Team Magma's base is located on the Jagged Pass. If you wish to temporarily work with us, we would gladly accommodate to your wishes and allow you inside."

I swallowed hard, humming in acknowledgement of his offer, and then waded through the grass and down the stairs.

"And, May," came Maxie's deliberate voice from the top of the steps. I glanced back; the two were poised to leave, their cloaked maroon figures framed by the dark sky, and for a moment I stared in reverence, admiring this organization that actually realized Aqua's antagonism and made an effort to put a stop to it. Both of them looked down at me with those chilling, narrowed eyes. "…I hope you will uphold your promise in defeating Archie, and thereby defending the land and people of Hoenn. We of Team Magma wish you the best of luck."

Courtney flicked her arm just slightly, tossing something through the air at me. I quickly brought up a hand and fumbled with the object, the size and shape immediately reminding me of a Gym badge. _No… this shape is…_ _Team Magma… an emblem?_

"A pass," Courtney explained, "to our base, should you accept our offer." Her voice had the same smoothness I remembered from Southern Island, but somehow it felt robotic, now.

A wave of dizziness washed over my head once again and, taking a deep breath, I descended the rest of the steps, sauntered through a line of Magma grunts awaiting their leader, and started towards the bottom of the mountain.

* * *

**A/N: **It begins! I actually went and roughly mapped out how I want the story progress from now until the climax, compared to the games. If you're really familiar with the game's story you might see how I might divert from it, or maybe not, but it'll become obvious in a chapter or so either way.

Because of exams the update might not be as quick this time around x_x


	31. Brendan and the Fan Club

**A/N: ** Brief note- though the "Fan Club" in ORAS was all Lisia-themed (I love the subtle sort of refs to pop stars in Japan) in RSE they were all different, there's a few for the player and others for other league members.

* * *

**Chapter 31 – Rival Brendan and the Pokemon Trainer Fan Club**

The journey from Mt. Pyre to the next town was long, exploratory, and riddled with new wild Pokemon and traveling trainers, not to mention an attraction in the middle of the wilds called the Safari Zone where I was allowed to stay overnight and catch exotic Pokemon. I made sure to record each entry in the Pokedex and forged on towards what the Pokenav said was Lilycove City, fighting any trainer in the way. The whole trip, however, I couldn't help but feel fatigued, but brushed it off as the weather or a lack of sleep and continued.

It was when I was training with Blaziken one day and was knocked a little too hard backwards and ended up rolling down a grassy hill, landing in a heap, when I realized just how close I was to Lilycove.

I rubbed my head, groaning, and sat up. Learning from a Pokemon was one thing – sparring? Way harder. _My hair's full of grass… That stupid bird…_ I brushed some of the weeds out of the chestnut strands and then struggled back to my feet.

"…Whoa!"

About half a mile out and a ways downhill from the overlook I'd accidentally discovered sat a sea of artificial colors and shiny steel, glistening in the sunlight. The buildings coated the natural landscape like butter on bread, eventually merging with the sea in what I clearly recognized as a harbor. My eyes wandered; the path from Route that had once been so wide seemed to narrow into a path less like the wilds of central Hoenn and more tame, like west Hoenn.

I let out an excited yelp and dashed back up the hill towards our makeshift camp. "We're here, Blaziken! The next city is just up ahead!"

* * *

Excitement bounced through my body with every beat of my heart as I biked down the paved road leading into the heart of Lilycove City. The feeling of isolation that came with journeying in the backwoods for so long was gone, replaced with the new sounds and sights of a big city. On either side of the road, suburbs with colorful roofs snaked back in either direction, and every once and a while a huge billboard would appear on either side of the road with images that seemed to pop right out of the sign and reach out to grab you.

I marveled at each: "**LILYCOVE CITY DEPARTMENT STORE! Open 24 hours! Boasting 16 stories of shopping wonders! Clothes, Trainer supplies, the cutest Pokedolls – you name it!" "LILYCOVE CITY ART MUSEUM: Come visit the most exquisite collection of art in Hoenn. Features both local Hoenn artists and artists from around the world. Pokemon are welcome." "LILYCOVE DEPARTMENT STORE ROOFTOP CAFÉ: Whether it's sunrise or moonrise, every hour of the day is beautiful from atop Lilycove's tallest building!" "LILYCOVE CITY CONTEST HALL! The pinnacle of Hoenn Pokemon Contests! A haven for Pokemon lovers! Feats of Coolness, Beauty, Cuteness, Smartness, and Toughness! Come see Coordinators such as Wallace and Juan!" **One of the smaller ones also caught my attention, shadowed by the Contest Hall billboard: "**TEAM AQUA – Protect the habitats of sea-dwelling Pokemon. Ensure the safety of Hoenn's environments." **I sighed and continued – as larger buildings sprang up around me, the amount of posters disappeared, and with it my thoughts of Aqua.

* * *

The blue of the sky seemed to merge with Lilycove's shiny buildings, reflecting off of the glass and steel. I couldn't keep my head down as I wandered the streets, having just left the Pokemon Center, only sparing a glance away from the city's architecture to glance over the glossy brochure detailing the city's attractions I'd grabbed from a shelf. _Contest Hall, Department Store… Bump! _"Oh!"

"Ugh!"

_Oh, crap! _I jumped backwards, readying an apology, only to find the lanky figure, familiar white knit hat, and warm brown eyes of Brendan in front of me. "Brendan?!"

"Oh, yo, May!"

"…Sorry," I mused, tucking away the brochure. "I wasn't paying attention. What are you doing here…?"

He paused, shifting his bag further behind his back. "…Definitely not buying Pokedolls, that's for sure," he said with a scoff, then quickly changing the subject added, "what about you? Here for the dolls?"

I cast a glare at him. "No way! Nothing as carefree as that. I just got here from Route 121. It was a long ways…"

"Right, right! You're not girly enough for dolls, right? Anyways…" Brendan rested his hands in his pockets. "That worn out already? Well, I'm on a favor for my dad… Let's cut to the chase. It's been a while, so you wanna battle?" He smirked at the last part.

Reluctance tugged at my tongue, along with the fact that I still wasn't feeling well. "…Maybe another time, Brendan. I have to find the Gym, for now."

He made an incredulous expression, his eyebrows rising beneath his black headband, and then laughed. The image wasn't unlike his own father – maybe if he were a little bigger and had a beard, it would be too similar. "Gym? In Lilycove? It's gotta have been a few months since you moved here, May, and you still got a ways to go. It's okay, though, I'll help you. Lilycove doesn't have a Gym – the next ones in Mossdeep City."

I straightened. "Seriously?! U-hg… I was really hoping to get that seventh badge…" _Of all the crazy things they have in this city, they don't have a Gym?_

"Yup!" Brendan calmed down. "So, anyway, wanna take me up on that offer, now? Or would you rather go buy Pokedolls?"

* * *

"Marshtomp, finish it off with Mud Shot!"

"Blaziken-!"

The slimy bipedal reared back and let out a cry before mud spewed from its mouth, drilling into the Fire-type that was too fatigued to dodge. I grimaced; we had barely landed any blows on the Water-type, despite the speed difference, and those moves that had worked seemed to have little to no effect. Marshtomp was a wall, and Blaziken had fought itself to exhaustion against that wall.

I recalled the Pokemon with a defeated sigh as Brendan cheered. A four-on-four battle; I could only use one more Pokemon. He had started with Swellow, defeated by Lairon; Lairon had been defeated by Breloom; Breloom had been defeated by Pelipper; Pelipper defeated by Magcargo, Magcargo by Blaziken, and now, Blaziken by Marshtomp.

_I have to choose wisely, _I reminded myself, knowing from experience that going fully offensive and fighting brutally would only make things worse. _Let's try you._

"Go!"

"Whooo-aaaa!"

My arm stopped mid-swing, and upon seeing what Brendan was marveling at, I lowered it. _Oh, no…_

The white light enveloping Marshtomp was all too familiar. Pokemon evolution… Another bead of sweat dripped into my already damp red top as the glowing silhouette grew significantly, its posture shifting into that of a quadruped, fins expanding across its body…

My rival and I both drew our Pokedexes at the same moment and across the urban battlefield I could hear his entries mingle with my own.

"_Swampert, the Mud Fish Pokemon and the evolved form of Marshtomp. Swampert predicts storms by sensing subtle differences in the sounds of waves and tidal winds with its fins. If a storm is approaching, it piles up boulders to protect itself."_

_ "Swampert, the Mud Fish Pokemon and the evolved form of Marshtomp._ _Swampert is very strong. It has enough power to easily drag a boulder weighing more than a ton. This Pokémon also has powerful vision that lets it see even in murky water."_

As both devices finished, Swampert emerged from the light, rearing up on its back legs to flex its shiny new muscles and let out a battle-ready cry.

_Water and Ground… _My stomach twisted. _I've got no choice, though… _"Lileep!"

With a flick of my wrist, the tiny fossil Pokemon was sitting on the grass, waving its head back and forth like a careless flower in the breeze. Meanwhile, Swampert was kneading at the ground and awaiting its master's orders. The contrast was stark, between the giant marsh beast and the frail little Sea-Lily.

"Whooooaaaaaaah! Awesome!" Maybe it was just the heat but Brendan appeared to be trembling. His gloved hands were balled in front of him, a huge grin stretching from ear to ear. "Marshtomp – no, Swampert!"

I made a face.

The boy rolled up his sleeves and threw out a hand. "Go, Swampert! Mud shot!"

Reacting instantly, I shouted, "Astonish!"

Just in time to prevent the Water-type's attack, Lileep shot its head out and attacked. Swampert stumbled backwards and growled. _It's not invincible, May. You can do this…!_

"Don't let it get ya, Swampert! Take Down!"

The evolved Pokemon was loads more formidable than its cute-looking predecessor, and with another roar it lumbered towards Lileep.

"Use Ingrain, Lileep! Root yourself in place!"

"_Tomp!"_ The mass of blue rammed into its foe just as Lileep was able to release dozens of roots into the ground below it. _It's a good thing we're fighting on ground, not pavement, _I thought, gazing off to my right. Brendan had picked out a grassy knoll between the northern border of Lilycove and a building piercing the clouds that could only be the department store. Ingrain was next to useless on any solid surface, at least with Lileep's current strength.

Swampert landed in front of me and immediately turned back around, readying itself for a second attack. I peered around its slimy body towards Lileep; the attack had hit, but wasn't very effective and was nearly negated by the intake from the roots. _But Mud Shot… I won't last long if that hits…_ "So I'll just have to stop it from using any attacks! Confuse Ray, Lileep!"

Slowly, pieces of a strategy came together in my mind as Swampert fell victim to the series of lights that Lileep emitted.

"Confusion doesn't promise jack, May! Go, Swampert, use Surf!"

_S-surf? _The attack hadn't been used against Blaziken. _Was he holding back? _My teeth dug into my bottom lip as Swampert obeyed despite its confusion. The blue energy surged outwards, taking the form of water – a mass of water, reminding me momentarily of Mt. Chimney. Lileep disappeared beneath the liquid that spread messily across the battlefield, past my ankles, and onto the street behind us. _Lileep… please hang in there! _I begged, eyes flicking across the rough surface of the wave for any sign of the Pokemon. There, still in the same place – the pink tendrils of Lileep came into sight, followed by the rest of its violet body. _Great! Ingrain worked – combined with the ability, suction cup…_

But before either of us could recover, Brendan called for another onslaught, taking advantage of the now wet environment that the Mud Fish Pokemon could perform better in. "Take Down again!"

Swampert crashed into Lileep, and with the attack came another wrack of tension up my spine. _It may have a type advantage, but Swampert is so strong… There's only so much Lileep can take…! I have to make my move!_

"Giga Drain, Lileep! Before it gets away!"

"G-giga Drain? From that little thing?"

I smiled, wanting to tell Brendan, _Yes, Giga Drain. A girl on Route 123 gave it to me. _It was a much better alternative to Absorb, and I'd taught little Lileep the move with Brendan's Water-type starter in mind.

Swampert stiffened as green balls of life energy were sapped from its body, draining into Lileep's small form and rejuvenating it. _At this rate, the battle won't last long at all! I just have to hang on until then!_

"Snap out of it, buddy! Get up close and use Mud Shot!" Brendan seemed to have caught on – Take Down was hurting Swampert in the long run more than Lileep.

I braced myself and winced as the attack met Lileep head on, nearly tearing it from its place on the grass. "Hang in there!"

"Another Mud Shot!" Brendan sounded more focused than I'd ever heard him.

But Swampert didn't move, this time; it stood there, crouched down in the soggy grass, blinking erratically.

"S-Swampert!"

"_Swam… pert…" Of course… _The Pokemon's disorientation was because of Confuse Ray. The attack was still in effect!

"Giga Drain again, Lileep!" I called as Lileep took in another round of nutrients from Ingrain.

Swampert cried out in protest, its shiny, azure skin shivering, as more energy was drained from it. _At this rate, Lileep must be nearing full health. _The attack was enough to knock it out of its confusion, though, and Swampert reared back as Giga Drain finally wore off, enraged.

"Surf, Swampert! Power up with Torrent!" "Lileep, hit it with one more Giga Drain!"

Our voices clashed and the air was suddenly full of heat and raw determination as both Pokemon sprang to life. Swampert unleashed its Surf at full force, and as it was facing me this time, the water washed up to my thighs and flooded out of the alley and onto Lilycove's street, earning surprised looks from a few passersby. I bit my lip, treading out a few steps towards Lileep.

Swampert's rippling form, refreshed by its Water-type attack, was no sooner cringing in pain as Lileep launched its own Grass-type move from beneath the flood. I lit up. "Go! Hit it full force!"

"No!" Brendan shouted from the other side. "Swampert, do whatever you can to uproot that Pokemon! Take Down!"

Amazingly, the Water-type began to move while still under the stress of Giga Drain, slamming its body into the fossil Pokemon repeatedly and eventually resorting to pulling at its underside using its huge webbed paws. But still, Lileep sat in place, void of any visible emotion as the PP for Giga Drain depleted. Swampert grew weaker and weaker, unable to budge Lileep, who had turned into the "wall" that Marshtomp had just a few minutes ago been, and with a cry of defeat, fell to the soggy ground in a heap of slimy blue.

Lileep let out a shriek, spinning its head and spraying any remaining water off of its body.

"No waaaaay! Swampert!" Brendan skidded across the grass, his clothing darkening with water, and shook the huge amphibian's body. "How could you lose to this little thing? Ugh…"

Beaming, I met Brendan in the middle, standing next to the victorious Pokemon. "That was a good fight, Brendan."

He gave me a defeated smile. "Yeah, well, that did sting a bit. You've worked pretty hard with those few Pokemon you have, huh, May?"

I looked down at Lileep proudly. "You bet." The Pokemon withdrew its roots from the ground and squeaked once more. I couldn't help my mouth from lifting into a wide grin. "I love these guys. They're by my side, through and through. Swampert is pretty impressive, there, too." I nudged the Water-type with one yellow sneaker, and it groaned.

"Heh, well… Even if I did start light-years before you, May, looks like you've bested me," the boy admitted, recalling the Pokemon and getting to his feet.

"Excuse me, sir, ma'am!" An unfamiliar voice interrupted and the two of us turned to see a well-dressed middle aged man approaching us out of nowhere. A little strange – the troupe following him out was even stranger.

"Huh? What's up, dude?" Brendan asked, and I cursed how carefree he was towards strangers. "Who're you?"

"We just watched your match, actually!" The man clasped his calloused hands together, smiling widely. "Well, you see, we're actually members of the Lilycove Pokemon Fan Club!"

My rival beamed. "Really!? Cool. …So, you saw my embarrassing loss, huh?"

I nudged him. "It wasn't embarrassing. It was a close battle. Anyways… what do you people want…?"

* * *

Somehow, Brendan and the Fan Club 'Chairman' had convinced me to follow them back to their building. It was a small bungalow, nestled between two huge corporate buildings, on the eastern end of Lilycove. The inside, however, was anything but humble. There was ample amount of space for the twenty-something people in the club, with modern furnishings, and a borderline-creepy amount of pictures of random prestigious-looking Pokemon trainers decorating the green striped walls.

"Here we are!" He said, nodding.

"This looks pretty comfy," Brendan commented, wandering off to admire the photos.

I stood there, feeling a little uncomfortable with the amount of gazes moving my way. Then, the moment I moved to walk over to Brendan, I was swarmed. Three figures approached me, beaming so much, eyes shining so brightly that they were like a group of Volbeats.

I swallowed. "Umm… Can I help you…?"

"You're May, right?" A shy, young girl in an orange sundress and a somewhat familiar red bow on her curly brown hair spoke first. "The trainer, May?"

"Of course she is!" The next was a dark haired man, a few years my senior. "May, we're starting to lean towards becoming your fans. You've really caught our attention recently."

A frown made its way onto my face. "Err… D-do I know you people?"

"No, but we know you! You're the trainer from Littleroot Town. You've cleared the Gyms faster than anyone, alongside Wally and then Brendan Birch." A third one spoke, a teenage girl a little younger than me with hair in pigtails that were also vaguely familiar. "Lemme tell you how things work in the fan club – some of us idolize old heroes, like Drake or Wattson, while some of us watch for newer trainers."

"We're the trendiest, always keeping an eye out for underdogs like you," the man spoke again. "But meeting you in person has for sure spiked my interest! We're rooting for you, May!"

"U-uhh, excuse me…" Flustered, I tried brushing past them towards the back of the house.

The youngest girl didn't let me go and instead grabbed my hand. "Shake my hand, please shake my hand!" I awkwardly obliged and she squealed.

Brendan's humored snort sounded from the other side of the room as I hurried away from the group.

"Go, go, May! Beat the rest of the Gyms!"

I dove into a side-room and panickedly slid the door shut only to find myself facing another table full of fans. The tabletop was covered in photos and drawings. _Weeiiird…_

Immediately I was approached by an old woman dressed in a simple magenta robe. Her narrowed eyes seemed to stare into my soul before she nodded twice. "Yes, there is certainly strength in your azure gaze, determination… I can understand the newbie fans' interest…"

_Gulp. _

"HOWEVER! You are unaware of your own potential! Push yourself further and believe in yourself and perhaps your true strength will someday show through!"

"E-err… Thank you, ma'am?"

Another man quickly filled her place. "Yes, yes… You're a pretty strong trainer, but…" He whipped a photo out of nowhere, pushing it dramatically into my face. "Wallace! He's number one right now!"

My eyes narrowed at the man in the photo – the slim body, the bright teal hair, the smug expression was all too familiar. "If you say so."

"It's just my opinion, don't get your panties in a bunch. Wallace has mastered both power and beauty…"

"No way! Like I've said a _million times_, bro, it's Steven who's the best!"

I swerved around. A spiky-haired boy had one hand on the tabletop, and the other thrusted out, pointing at the Wallace fan.

"Steven…?" the word escaped my mouth. "…Steven, huh…?"

Before I could get myself too flustered the boy spoked up again, this time in a tone of pure admiration. "Yeah, miss. He's wicked cool… The coolest… Oh, man, I wanna get his autograph, maybe even shake his hand… He's my hero…"

I was about to speak up, but stopped myself. _Is he really that popular a trainer?_

"Oh, no, if we're talking League trainers, Glacia is number one. Her frigid composure is chilling… Even the way she carries herself…" The older woman speaking sank down in her chair. "She's very cool and collected, a gem among the recent hot trainers of Hoenn… You're alright, kid, but you're nowhere near her level."

"Who's Glacia?" This was getting to be too much. I was about to leave when I saw a _very _strange photo on the table.

"Is that… my _father_?!"

The man seated at that part of the table looked up to me with two tired eyes. He was around my father's age, if not a little younger, and had the tanner skin of a Hoenn native. "It sure is. I'll tell you now, despite his loss, Norman is stronger, more charismatic, and has much more composure than you do. There are many who brag of your strength, but in my opinion it pales in comparison to that of your fathers." He shook his head. "No matter what, the daughter will never fully live up to the father's place… You've got a way's to go, kid."

Something inside me twisted at this, bended in a way it wasn't supposed to bend, and I stepped backwards, eyebrows furrowed, speechless. Here was this man, saying I wasn't as good as my father, saying I wasn't alike him… "What right do you have?"

"…Excuse me?" He turned back around in his cushion.

"To-" I stopped myself, clenching one fist, and backed away. "…Nothing." For some reason my head had started to throb, so I excused myself from the room and made my way outside, words echoing through my head. _To compare me to him… I've been compared to him my whole life, yet up until a few months ago I haven't been given the opportunity to train a Pokemon…_

"Hey, May! Where're you running off to?" Brendan's voice came up from behind and I quickly clenched my eyes shut to get rid of the tears. "I know, I know, wasn't that place creepy? I have a contest to catch, so let's head over that way."

* * *

I followed Brendan as we both biked over to the south end of Lilycove, where there was apparently a huge contest being held in the Master-Rank Hall. On our left stretched the ocean, the east coast of Hoenn, sparkling and orange under the rays of the setting sun. And all the while, I saw something terrifying, though didn't bring it to Brendan's attention.

Team Aqua grunts.

They hadn't been around the east entrance of Lilycove, but all along the coastline and on the beach were the familiar blue-headed thugs. Seeing them all gathered in one place was one thing, but Aqua scattered across a city? It made me feel like I'd been poisoned, my chest feeling ten times heavier with fear. Not to mention I could barely keep up with Brendan on my bike.

Finally, we rounded a corner and the huge pink building was in sight. Brendan stopped, folding up the device, and I did the same.

"Well, this is my stop. I'd tell you to come along, but I've only got one ticket and contests don't seem like your kinda thing, May. No offense. But I don't think you have that big an interest in beauty. When it comes to Pokemon, I mean."

I stuck my tongue out. "Whatever, Brendan. Weren't you here on a _chore_ for the _Professor_? Is this it?"

He blushed. "E-err, well, this is just leisure… Anyway, I… I've actually been planning on going back to Littleroot and the lab to help Dad out with his research, since my Pokedex is so full."

The news came as a shock to me. _Is he giving up the Gym Challenge? Come to think of it, he was always more interested in catching Pokemon than training and battling with them… _"Well, I'll try to fill mine some more when I head to Mossdeep and the eighth Gym, too." As I finished my sentence, another wave of dizziness similar to the headache I'd got at the fan club smacked me in the face and I cleared my throat.

Brendan tilted his head, the sock-hat tipping to the side with the movement. "That reminds me, are you sick, or something? The whole day you seemed pretty pale and out of it."

I did a double take at the boy's curious face. "Am I really? I feel fine. I think I'm just tired. I made a lot of stops from Fortree to here…"

He gave up easily, shrugging. "Well, okay. Your dad's pretty worried 'bout ya, and it's spread to me and my pa, so make sure to take a break if you get worn down, or something." Then, of course, to add that Brendan charm, he winked: "A girl shouldn't push herself too hard."

I crossed my arms. "Geez… Whatever you say, Brendan. Really, I can handle myself. If you see my dad, tell him I said that."

The boy shrugged. "Hey, y'don't have to get upset! All I'm saying is we all know how stubborn you are and we think you should pay attention to health and safety, like every other sane trainer." His words had meaning and logic behind them, which was unlike Brendan, but he was still using a casual tone and his mouth was curved slightly upward in a ginger smirk.

I met his eyes and gave a firm nod. "Yes. I know that better than anyone."

A party of girls undoubtedly headed to the Contest Hall passed by us, reminding Brendan again that he had an event to attend. Adjusting his hat, he asked, "so, in any case, that's what you're gonna do? Beat all the Gyms and take on the League challenge?"

In my mind, I heard myself say something like, "_I-I don't know about that_," but aloud and to my own surprise I instead told him, "Yes."

He raised his eyebrows. "Oh! Well, maybe I will, too. Either way…" Suddenly Brendan reached out, placing one gloved hand on my shoulder, the other making a thumbs-up. "Hang in there, May. And good luck with finishing off Team Aqua! Don't worry, I won't tell your old man about it!"

With that, the boy was running off towards the contest building. The comment earned more than a few looks from nearby fishermen.

"Huh? Wait up! H…How do you know about that?!"

* * *

**A/N: **Brendan is really cute, I think despite his cool and smart exterior May has proven herself to him and they've become friends, and he just guessed about the Aqua thing after May ran into the Weather Institute. This is sort of a calm before the storm chapter.

I'm not sure how clear I've been about the time passage, but a number of months have passed since May started her journey, and though it's not included she has probably caught up with her mom and other people like Roxanne or Brendan and (President) Stone over the Pokenav. Sort of like how Gym Leaders and trainers call you on the Pokegear in GSC/HGSS.


	32. Misplaced Trust

**A/N: **oh boy here we go

* * *

**Chapter 32 – Misplaced Trust**

_Water._

_ Water is slowly rising, around my ankles, knees, now it's up to my neck. It's so cold that I can't move. The line of liquid moves up my chin, soaking my hair, and I hold my breath, but it's so hard with how frigid it is. I squeeze my eyes shut but it doesn't keep more images from flashing through my head._

_ The red pulsing light – where have I seen that before? It's distant, just a blur in the corner of my field of visioin, shimmering as if there was a heat wave or wall of water between me and the light. But it's getting bigger. Suddenly the water drains and everything is clearer, I'm in an ocean, my head bobbing above the rough surface, everything is dark and I can only see a radius of around 5 feet ahead of me. Even though I can't see the red light anymore, in my gasping for air, I can feel it growing closer._

_ What is this? I keep asking myself that question as the sea tosses and turns around me, the white caps of huge waves the only vaguely visible thing in the darkness. I remembered settling down in the Pokemon Center after touring Lilycove City. Team Aqua. The whole time they were lurking in the back of my mind. Team Aqua. Somehow they're related to this dream. I don't have time to mull over it because the red light is now nearby, closing in on my little circle of light in the choppy, salty water. Then there's a splash, and the red light is upon me, and the user of that light surfaces from the water like a reanimated corpse from the ground and all I can see is teeth and big, angry yellow rings and I lose my composure and slip beneath the surface again._

_ The feeling is strangely familiar as I'm flipped and turned about under the water like I'm in outer space and I can taste salt pouring in from my mouth and nostrils. The red light grows closer again and I peel open my eyes and that thing is there, hurtling through the water with ease towards me and I can toss and turn until I'm fatigued but in the end I can move nowhere near as fast as it._

…

_"AAAAAAH!"_

My voice cut off, hoarse, as I flew upright in bed, eyes wide, a cold sweat coating my whole body. I hyperventilated for a moment as I tried desperately to collect myself. _You're in the Pokemon Center, in Lilycove City, you're fine, your Pokemon are all in your bag over here – _still trembling, I groped around in the comforter for the familiar yellow fanny pack, found it, and hugged it to my chest. _You're fine. _Beat by beat, the loud thumping in my chest slowed and I stiffly slipped out of the bed and moved to the window, peeking out behind the heavy, dark curtains. Outside the brightly-lit landscape of Lilycove greeted me. Above stretched Hoenn's beautiful night sky, though only a few stars were visible due to gathering clouds, jaundice from the light pollution of the city. The ocean was somewhere over yonder, at its usual level.

A long sigh escaped my lips and I padded back over to the bed, plopping down on the plushy white sheets and pulling out my Pokenav. 4:30AM. _Great_. Deciding sleep wasn't an option now that I was fully awake, I wrapped my bag around my waist, not bothering to throw the rest of my outfit over the black bike shorts and tank top I had on, and pulled open the door.

"_…Gon?_"

I glanced back into the room to find Bagon, who had probably been fast asleep up until now, roused and looking my way.

"I'm just getting some fresh air, little guy. Go back to sleep," I told it with a smile of reassurance.

The Pokemon disobeyed (as it usually seemed to do) and tottered over to me, raising up its stubby blue hands. "_Gon! Bagon!"_

With a dry laugh, I bent down and took the small Dragon-type into my arms. "Okay, you can come."

Once outside, I called out Pelipper and climbed onto its back. Flying with the Pokemon was admittedly a little uncomfortable, but it didn't seem to mind, and ever since I'd missed the Tropius on Route 119, it was essentially my only option. Bagon settled itself down on the Pokemon's broad beak, bouncing with excitement – despite how normal this seemed to have become, I still got nervous at the Pokemon's inability to recognize danger.

"Just go for a little fly, Pelipper," I said to the Pokemon, patting its head, and with that the bird lifted itself off the ground and slowly rose above Lilycove's bubble of lights and life.

I sighed, looking out at the ocean that was now a dark mass on the horizon. The moon was hidden somewhere behind the clouds, blanketed, still asleep as the rest of Lilycove's working population was. Aside from a few lit skyscrapers, the dim, saffron streetlamps, and the seaward lighthouse, the metropolis was nearly lifeless. Below, as Pelipper made its way towards the sea that it adored so much, some of the only people out were groups of Team Aqua grunts, no doubt stirring up trouble.

Thinking about the nightmare only scared me, so I instead touched on the idea of Archie and his gang. 'Expanding the sea'… I'd never thought about the true meaning of that. The world wouldn't be able to handle something that drastic. Lilycove… I gazed down at the sparsely-populated streets weaving between the buildings and the misty harbor that was probably busy sunup to sundown. _Lilycove could go completely under. _The thought was foreign to me. _Any coastal city could. Olivine could. And that's not even the extent of what Archie wants to do, after what happened at Mt. Chimney…_ Pelipper glided downwards some and I spotted another group of grunts, some of which were sleeping, some of which were playing around or pitting their Pokemon against each other. _Do these grunts even know about all this?_

_"It is your decision to make, but remember that you have very little time to worry about anything Archie has said about Magma. You have the Blue Orb; he possesses the Red Orb. Things will escalate quickly if we do not act, together… Team Magma's base is located on the Jagged Pass. If you wish to temporarily work with us, we would gladly accommodate to your wishes and allow you inside."_

Maxie's familiar poised image appeared in my mind as a sort of comfort from the wrath of the nightmare and I considered his offer for the umpteenth time. _Things are starting to heat up… It's not about break-ins and thefts anymore. It's something worse. No matter what I tell Brendan – what I tell myself, even… I can't handle this alone…_

Pelipper landed back at the Pokemon Center and I wandered back inside, over to the showers. The water was cold at first, prickling my back and for a second my breath caught as I remembered the dream. After a moment, though, the temperature rose and a comfortable cloud of steam filled the room as I stood there, lost in thought.

It was close to 5:00 when I was settled back in the room, sitting in bed combing my hair out. The thought of Team Magma's base crossed my mind once more and I dug around my bags and laundry until I found the emblem Courtney had thrown to me.

_Jagged Pass…_ It would take a while to fly there with Pelipper, but the idea was sounding more and more attractive. I collapsed back into the mattress, running my fingers along the object's smooth edge, and then sat up once more. _Pokenav… Pokenav…_

_Click, click! Brrrr… Brrrrrrr…_

Two rings was all it took for the man on the other end to pick up. "_Hello_?"

"…Steven?" I asked carefully. "Um, sorry it's so early. This is May…"

"_May?"_ His voice was a little raspy, but his reply was quick, giving the indication that he had been up for a while. There was a long pause before he spoke again. _"It's, ah, okay, I'm a bit of a morning bird." _Another pause. "…_Is… something wrong?"_

I bit my lip. "I just… had a question." _Damn it! I should have thought about what I wanted to say beforehand. _Squeezing hold of the emblem in my right hand, I continued, voice shaky. "Umm… What do you think about Team Magma?"

_"Team Magma…?"_ Steven took another pause, and in the background I heard something like he was standing up and moving to a different part of his room. _"…Why do you ask…? Did… something happen?"_

I swallowed, shook my head, then remembered this was a phone conversation and told him, "Not really. Well, I just think, you see…" I sighed. "Since they're against Team Aqua, and Team Aqua are the ones stealing from Devon and the Weather Institute and doing all this… eco-terrorism… Wouldn't it make sense to work with Team Magma?"

Steven's response was prompt, his voice curt even through the poor connection. _"…No, no May. Definitely not – something did happen, then? Please, let me assist you. Don't turn to Team Magma for help."_

I pressed the emblem into the side of my leg, adjusting my sweaty grip on the Pokenav. "Why not, though? I've met their leader a few times now. He's cold, yeah, but… He seems like a good guy. And they've helped me a number of times too." The next half of the sentence sat on the tip of my tongue, teetering back and forth and finally I let the words out shakily, "I don't think I can handle what's going to happen on my own, Steven. I-I know I can't."

There was shifting on the other side of the line. "_No, May, please, let me help you. We shouldn't talk about this on a phone line, either – I can be over there in an hour at the least. Hold on."_

The amount of genuine concern in Steven's usually flat tone confused me, considering how our last encounter ended. _Is he really that worried about what Aqua might do?_ The thought scared me even more. "It's okay, you don't need to. Maxie already offered to help and gave me a pass to his base." I stood up and started gathering my things, cradling the Pokenav between my shoulder and my head. "I think I'll head there as soon as I can. It's the least I can do, for allowing Archie to get this far…"

"_May_!" Steven's voice was sharp. _"Please, don't go to them! Stay wherever you are – where are you? You must be in Lilycove by now, right? Mauville? I'll be right over. Wait there. Enough is enough – we'll take this on together…"_

I snapped my bag around my waist, embarrassed and a little humiliated by his last remark, heat warming my still spinning head. _T-that's not what I meant…! I really don't want to go crying for his help… He's a busy guy, I'm a rookie trainer – "_It's really okay, Steven, you've already helped enough. And it's a long ways from Rustboro City. I only wanted to get your advice, I guess…" …_But I really shouldn't have called in the first place…_

There was another pause on the other end of the line as I stepped out of the Pokemon Center, mounted Pelipper once more, and took off into the skies. After hearing no reply, I switched over to the map function, the cold, artificial light illuminating my pale skin and the morning sky around me. _If we head over Fortree, then across to Mauville and up towards Lavaridge…?_ _Okay… _Nodding tiredly to myself, I switched back to the Match Call, only to find that shifting between apps had caused the phone to hang up. I contemplated calling Steven back, then decided against it. _It's 5 in the morning, after all. This is my problem. I'll clean it up myself._

* * *

"May? Hello?!" Steven was nearly shouting into the phone line, and possibly awakening the few neighbors he had on the cliffy northwestern edge of Mossdeep City. "_May!"_

The line went dead, and, clenching his jaw, the trainer shoved the device into his pocket. Skarmory tilted its head at its trainer in concern.

"Damn it…" Steven ran one hand through his hair, continuously cursing himself for not acting sooner. He had got very little sleep – nothing too unusual – and had hastily thrown on his usual outfit. "That Team Magma… What the hell are they up to? What happened with May?" Nothing could quell the uneasiness stirring in his gut, so the trainer hopped onto the Steel-type's back and directed it off towards Sootopolis City once again. He kept his Pokenav curled up in his hands the whole way through, attempting and failing to connect a few more calls to May, and once he landed Steven retreated into the historic library, burying himself on books on Hoenn's weather-controlling behemoths until he was fully exhausted.

* * *

The sun sat cradled between the only two clouds in the entire sky as Pelipper landed at the bottom of Jagged Pass, panting heavily. To call it a hot day would be an understatement; on Route 112 there wasn't even a slight breeze, just heavy heat, with dry, dusty air being blown upwind from Route 111. I fed the Pokemon a few Rawst Berries before recalling it and burying the ball in my bag, instead drawing out the Magma Emblem.

_Somewhere up here… The entrance is just ahead, _I told myself, stepping into the grotesque world of gnarled trees and gray ash that was Jagged Pass. I felt amazingly fatigued, and the headache was back. _Damn this heat, _I thought, taking off a glove and waving it in front of my face as a makeshift fan. _Lilycove at least had the ocean breeze…_

Finding the entrance was no difficult task. I was walking past a huge, ash-covered boulder when the emblem began to vibrate, and I pulled it from my bag, looking around until a small, man-sized opening in the boulder that hadn't been there before caught my eye, shadowed by a nearby pine tree. I approached it, causing a few nearby Pokemon to scuffle off.

There was cold air swirling up from the corridor that appeared to dig deeper underground, and it blew my hair away from my face. I frowned and then noticed a familiar symbol painted on the wall where my hand touched the burnished rock. Team Magma. _Without a doubt, this is their base._

With a gulp, I started down the corridor.

* * *

It didn't take long for me to find the first guards of the inner hideout. The hallway ended with a heavy metal blast door, lit by two tubes of what were to my utter surprise, lava. The grunts stiffened when they saw me, but didn't seem to bar my way as I approached the door.

I glanced up to the one on my right, and through the shadow cast by the wool hood I could barely see his eyes looking in my direction cautiously.

"I… My name's May. I'm here to speak with Maxie…" With one look at the emblem in my hand, the man nodded to his partner and suddenly the blast doors shot open, allowing me through.

The interior of the base was amazing. It appeared to be a cave not unlike Firey Path, tunneling beneath the volcano and full of steam and shiny igneous rock, though there was an incredible mix of technology in, with the same tubes of lava illuminating the entire cavern and probably powering the place somehow. All kinds of advance machines and computers were scattered here and there, and dozens upon dozens of Magma grunts marched around, chatting with each other or carrying huge, metal storage boxes. It was like a small city, existing here beneath the volcano. I let myself grin and admire the sight before slapping my cheeks and sobering. _I have to find Maxie._

It was no easy task, apparently. The place was full of corridors and smaller adjacent caverns and rooms, all differently furnished, but with the same intimidating grunts lining them. I admittedly fit in here with my own red attire, but it took a lot of courage to finally approach a grunt that appeared to be on break.

"Excuse me… Do you know where Maxie is? He, err… Requested that I speak with him."

The girl side-eyed me like I was an annoying scrap of trash as I stood there awkwardly, poking my fingertips together and blinking. Then she spun around, straightening out the cropped red hoodie and clapping her feet together in a clean salute. "You're May! Lord Maxie has been anticipating your arrival. Please follow me."

With that, the dark-haired girl robotically started down the path. I followed, finding it hard to keep up with her even pace and wide steps. We weaved through the main floors of the base, moving deeper and deeper, the air temperature rising as we did. There were less grunts on the lower floors, and the ones that were present were burlier, with nasty-looking Mightyena and Magcargo raring for battle at their sides. The technology also seemed to become sparse, until the only man-made things in the cavern present were the metal storage bins, thin steel railings around cliffs or pools of magma, and the fiberglass lava-tubes that emitted a soft orange glow around the grunt's sturdy form and my own.

Something else seemed to strengthen as we treaded further underground, too – my headache. Despite the heat of the base, the grunt ahead of me seemed perfectly fine – though, maybe she was used to it by now. Me, meanwhile – I felt terrible. It'd shifted into a full blown migraine and I found myself clinging to the walls for support, beads of sweat forming on my forehead, having to take heavy, manual breaths to keep myself aware. My feet felt infinitely heavier, my head was swimming, it was a feeling somewhat familiar but at the same time different. Somehow, the feeling reminded me of my dream, with the red light that had been closing in on me.

Before I could ponder over it we turned another corner and there, standing beside a massive pool of lava, was Maxie, hands folded behind his back, shoulders squared, coat flowing elegantly down to his knees. His image, adorned with red and gray, seemed to fit in so much better here, below the volcano.

"Sir!" The grunt quickly dismissed herself.

"May," came Maxie's voice, sounding smoother down here amidst the lava, "I thought you'd show up. It's a good thing. I feel Archie is getting closer and closer to achieving his sinister goals as we speak…"

I nodded, the gesture making me feel even more nauseous. "I think it was the right thing to do. I can't do this alone. If you guys have a way to stop him, to save Hoenn from disaster, I should help you however I can."

He approached me, boots scuffing against the rough rock beneath us, his strong gaze somewhat overwhelming. "Yes… You might find it bizarre, this base we have, but you must keep it in mind that Team Magma only means the best for this region and its people… Furthermore we have an interest in this world's landmass and its source, which as can you see here, lies with the magma below the surface." I watched him carefully, Steven's voice registering somewhere in the back of my mind. His pale skin appeared slightly more lifelike in the orange lighting, and strangely enough his thin lips were curled upwards in a smile. "Nonetheless, we should talk somewhere else, May. A child like you has no place in this intense environment. We can speak of our plans in private with my admins, who are waiting to meet up with us…" In the midst of my deliriousness I noticed just the slightest flick of Maxie's head. "…And then, we can launch a counterattack against Archie, together…"

"…Hm?" _What was…_ I paused, furrowing my brow. _Just now… it was like someone poked my neck… Am I imagining…?_ I tried to turn behind me but my body didn't respond.

"…May? Are you well?"

_Ugh…_ My vision was starting to go and a very familiar sensation of faintness and numbness was seizing control of my body. I felt my knees hit the ground. …_Uh..gh…_

The last thing I was aware of was the overbearing feeling of intensity and malice that seemed to come from the pit of lava just a little ways ahead of me, where Maxie had been standing. _The red light… Whatever was there… W-what…_

_…_

* * *

"Commendable work, Courtney," Maxie stated at the poised female that was now hovering silently over the collapsed form of May. "Search her for the Blue Orb."

With a curt bow of her head, Courtney obeyed. Meanwhile, Tabitha appeared from around the corner, a smirk on his face.

"It was almost too easy, Lord Maxie," he said.

The admin's good mood was contagious and the red-haired man felt his smile grow. "Indeed… Whether it was the heat or not that allowed it, I do not know. The power of the orbs is still very unclear. But that's irrelevant now; our plans are about to be realized, at last."

Courtney stood back up, brushing her long skirt with one hand and holding out the object of interest to her leader in the other. "Lord Maxie, the Blue Orb," she said with a grin.

Maxie's eyes widened at the object. So beautiful, yet the power it was capable of – truly he was meant to make use of such an artifact. Allowing May, that dirty, imp of a child, to temporarily take control of it at Mt. Pyre was hard to permit, but it was all part of the deeper plan to realize Magma's goals and Magma's goals _alone._ His pale fingers took hold of the orb and he brought it up to his face to admire its opaque surface before glancing down at May with a scoff.

"Well, this way things work out much smoother," he said, beaming. The sight was a little strange even to his closest admins, but they shared his enthusiasm nonetheless. May lay there, face contorted, cheek pressed against the ground. Defeated so easily, the trainer that had managed to defeat Archie and his admins on so many occasions. Maxie hummed to himself: "No break-in, no defeated grunts, not even I have to battle with her and yet we obtain the orb and are still presently able to keep her turned against Archie."

"And now…" The man moved on to his main focus, walking all the way to the edge of the overlook and gazing into the lava pool. "Groudon, my goal… All these years asleep with nothing to wake you. Nothing except this Blue Orb."

Tabitha and Courtney stood back some, preparing for their next plan of action. They spoke quietly to each other, nodding at May, and Courtney saluted. "Lord Maxie, I am heading for the surface to carry out the following step as commanded!" With that, she gave her fellow admin another smirk before disappearing down a hallway.

Maxie was too entranced to hear her. "This is what you sought, is it not, Groudon?"

Below the surface of the lava, though faint, was a dark, unmoving silhouette.

"Together we can expand this world's landmass for humanity and forget about the absurd ideals of those that wish to give up mankind's comfort for the sake of Pokemon." Maxie's grin was widening, growing more crooked. His hand clamped around the long-sought Blue Orb, veins visible between his whitened knuckles and along his wrist, and his tone picked up into a shout of unrestrained passion. "For the sake of Team Magma… Groudon, I awaken you from your endless slumber and invite you back into this world that is threatened to stray so far from your vision! Bathe in the Blue Orb's light! I, Maxie, empower you once more!"

The Blue Orb's output of energy came to a sudden climax and the dark, maroon cavern was flooded with azure light. Leader and admin both were temporarily blinded. Maxie stumbled backwards to shield his eyes, crying out in surprise. Between the two, a barely-conscious May was watching with blinking, glazed-over eyes.

Slowly, the blue faded, and from within the bubbling pit of hot earth came rumble. The sound was so loud and full that it could easily have been mistaken for an earthquake, but as the magma below parted to reveal an enormous, spiky, dark object and a set of sharp, shining dagger-like teeth, the source of it was obvious.

Maxie observed with a look of the purest type of ecstasy, while Tabitha backed into a hallway, his very heart shaking in terror. Groudon shifted, emerging further from the pool, the lava dripping off of its hard skin like globs of wet cement. Its darkened skin gradually turned to a brilliant scarlet as though its blood had started to circulate again, and between the dark lines on its angular face appeared two thin yellow eyes that were shaking in rage.

Maxie held out his arms, his hysteria at a maximum, laughing in joy. "At last! Groudon! Now Team Magma can further this world and bring in a new age!"

Tabitha reentered from the hallway, chuckling along hesitantly, shoving his trembling hands into his pockets. His hood had been blown off, revealing a paled face, widened dark eyes, a sharp jaw lowered in levels of awe he'd never experienced before. "At last!"

But the behemoth of a Pokemon didn't seem to share the enthusiasm of the two humans. The patterns on its back were glowing as radiant a blue as the orb had just done a few seconds ago, and its eyes moved erratically like that of a crazed beast. Paying no attention to the shouting people below, Groudon hunched over, its muscles tensing, and suddenly Tabitha, realizing what was about to happen, sprang forwards, legs propelling him towards his leader, and tackled the endangered man to the ground.

"Lord Maxie, watch out-!"

The two observed as the creature that filled nearly the entire cavern leapt upwards, crashing through the rocky ceiling of the volcano above. A splash of searing-hot lava exploded from its pit at this, clumps of it landing on the railing and the rock around Tabitha and Maxie. Groudon wasted no time in tunneling upwards, its massive form forcing its way through the rock.

Once things calmed down, the two stood, staring in horror up at the massive hole the creature had created in the ceiling.

"Groudon has…" Maxie stared in awe, jaw trembling.

Tabitha sank back. Never before had he witnessed, or even imagined witnessing something like this. Nonetheless he was able to speak up. "Maxie, sir… C-correct me if I'm wrong, but… It seems like Groudon did not…"

Maxie seemed to cool off significantly and turned to nod at his subordinate. "No, your suspicions appear to be true. Groudon has not obeyed my command and has instead fled."

Silence seized hold of the cavern. This allowed for the faint breath of a semi-conscious girl to be picked up by the two, and they glanced over to find May still on the ground, turned over.

Tabitha marched over with a twisted expression of irritation. With one solid kick, the girl was out again.

"Sir, are we still working according to the plan?" He asked, staring down at May's pained, sweaty face, wondering again why his leader was so intent on using her.

Maxie approached him, pulling a radio from his pocket. "Yes." _Click! _"Courtney! Prepare for Phase Two."

The leader distastefully placed the orb back onto May's person, and with that, the poised duo, hair frizzed and cloaks singed, moved side-by-side to depart from the base.


	33. Waking Up

**Chapter 33 – Waking Up**

_May,_

_ I apologize for my leaving you here. Just seconds after your collapse – as I suspected, the cause was most likely your body failing to adjust to the change in atmosphere down below the volcano – I was informed that Team Aqua is, as I write this, making their move in Slateport City. Do not blame yourself for this; none could predict just when Archie would act, but now is the time, and Magma must move. Best of luck._

_ Magma Leader Maxie_

I frowned at the note, crumpling up the maroon stationery in my gloved palm and shoving it in a pocket. They were gone – every last Magma member. The cavern felt uncomfortably empty, and with the absence of wild Pokemon was dead silent. Amidst this my heartrate had slowed. It was only a minute ago that I'd slowly come to only to feel an intense pain in my side and the blurry, fogginess in my mind, gone. The note had been resting on my arm.

I surveyed the cavern once more. It was vastly different than it had been prior to my arrival, and the source of this change seemed to be the near-depleted lava pool in the center of the area. I walked closer to it, the dusty sounds of my shoes scuffing on the rocks echoing through the caves, and placed one hand on the object that had once been a guard rail. Now, it was nothing more than a gnarled piece of steel. The rocks and a few crates also had a similar effect to them, like the hot lava below had sprayed all over the place. I craned my neck to gander at what was truly the strangest occurrence in the room; a massive hole in the roof, the rock roughly dug at. The hole wasn't clean or round enough to be man-made, and even if it was, how would one get a drill up there? I was certain it hadn't been there before. Boulders and other chunks of rock also littered the lava pool directly below it.

"It's almost like… Something flew out of the lava and went right through the rock, like a drill…" I muttered, before backing away. "In any case, I should get to the surface…"

* * *

Slateport snuck onto the horizon, its familiar silver shine duller under the overcast sky. Pelipper began its descent with heavy wings, already exhausted from the ride over to Jagged Pass, and landed in a heap nearby the Pokemon Center, immediately retreating to its ball. I guiltily ran my thumb over the device and muttered an apology.

A salt-scented gust of wind blew up the street, pushing me in the direction of the museum. Aside from the weather, Slateport didn't seem any different from the last time I had been here. The shops were full, Trainer battles waged on here and there, two blocks down was a signing for a famous coordinator, and dozens of colorful flags waved back and forth in front of the gray stone buildings that ran down each of its streets.

_Focus, May. You're here for Aqua, nothing else. _I nodded to myself and pulled out the note from the Magma Leader once more. _Would it have hurt to give me a way to contact him…?_ Furthering the growth of a tiny seed of concern inside me was the fact that I didn't see any grunts, Aqua _or _Magma around, as they had been in Lilycove. _Am I too late? No, that can't be right… It's only 1PM. I wasn't out for that long._

Huffing, I flipped open the Mach Bike and pushed my legs forwards, dodging tourists and weaving between cars, heading for the Oceanic Museum.

* * *

The Sootopolis City Library stood on the eastern end of the colorful town, located close by the massive rim of the city, a huge, white, two-story building with dark blue accents. It ran along a wide meadow that curved all the way up to the rim with three main sectors, all branching off in different directions, ornately decorated with potted flowers, hanging vines, marble fountains, and gardens. Aside from the Gym and perhaps Wallace's own estate, the library was one of the most beautiful spots in Sootopolis, and was reserved for only high-ranked persons and citizens of the water city.

It was in the far end of one of these wings, in the historical-mythological section, coated with a deep blue-violet carpet and intricate crystal chandeliers, that two particularly distinguished trainers were currently located.

"Stone."

"Hnn…"

Wallace planted a palm on the oak table, huffing in annoyance. "Steven! Wake up, you lazy fool!"

"Uhg…" The aforementioned man rose his face from the rather large textbook sitting in front of him, blinking sleepily. "Uhg…!"

After a moment he turned to Wallace with a look of surprise, sliding back his chair and getting to his feet. "Wallace!" His blue hair was overwhelming amidst the dark background of the library.

The Gym Leader sighed, placing one hand on Steven's shoulder. "Steven, now… I understand you're still waking up, but…" He deadpanned. "What are you doing, sleeping in the Sootopolis Library overnight!?"

Steven frowned, finally coming to. His cold eyes darted around the room as he closed the book he had open. "I was reading…" With a sniff, he took the book down a nearby aisle and returned emptyhanded. "Is there something wrong with that?"

Wallace sighed, leaning against the table. "No, but I got a call at around 8 this morning from a very frantic employee saying that Steven Stone himself was unconscious in the building. I should have expected something like this…"

The silver-haired man's composure seemed to very slowly change, his face crinkling as he remembered what had happened the previous night. "Wallace – oh, shit, Wallace –May, that trainer, she-"

Wallace was interested in something else, his clear azure gaze drilling into a certain spot on Steven's suit jacket. "Steven, your buttons are one off… Gee, you can't go out looking like this…"

"Wallace!" This time Steven's hand slammed against the table, rings clicking against the wood. "This is important! I… Team Magma is…"

Raising an eyebrow, Wallace took a seat. "Team Magma? Color me surprised, they haven't been showing up in the news that much lately compared to their good old pirate pals Aqua."

"…I suspect that… they're trying to trick May," Steven went on, fumbling in his pockets for his Pokenav. "Furthermore I think things are beginning to get out of hand. Very quickly."

Wallace raised one thin brow, crossing his arms. "Tricking May? For what reason? You said they failed at Chimney and Southern Island, right? Really, Steven, I think Magma is out of the game for good."

"No, no…" Steven raised one hand to rub his forehead. "Team Magma… I think they're up to the same thing… If only I could check in with May, I'd be able to confirm, but… This could escalate a lot further than a reawakened Kyogre if my suspicions are correct."

This caught Wallace's attention and the man sat up, giving his friend a concerned look. "_Kyogre?_ That's the worst possible solution already, Steven. I know you're a bit of a pessimist, but how _bad _do you really think it could get?" He smirked, though beneath his collected, suave exterior, the Water-type specialist tensed. "I don't think I can make any more preparations than I already have."

Steven met his gaze, his eyes unusually frigid and each ringed by a gray circle. "Team Magma… it's so obvious… if they were to awaken _Groudon_, the other legendary Pokemon of Hoenn…"

Wallace hesitated for a moment, narrowing his eyes at the man in front of him in disbelief, before laughing. "Okay, now you're going a little too far out there, Steven! How would they even awaken those two? If all it took was some special equipment from your company and a boat, I'm sure the world would've had its fair share of apocalypses by now. No one even knows where those two are located – the research it would probably take would be beyond anyone's capabilities-"

"That's exactly what Maxie must've been doing, Wallace!" Steven exclaimed, finally finding his Pokenav beneath the cover of another ragged book on Hoenn's mythology. "While he let Archie get the visible advantage, he was researching, plotting out – May is probably part of that plot… I'm a fool for not going to Lilycove sooner." Suddenly in a rush, Steven picked up his bag, began frantically flicking through his Pokenav, and headed for the entrance to the building. Wallace followed a few feet behind him with a skeptical look.

"Make sure you button up your jacket, Steven, you're a wreck right now!"

* * *

A cool gust of wind blew off of the nearby ocean as I stomped out of the museum, frustrated, anxiety levels near maximum. Team Aqua was not in the museum. And according to the museum's employees, who'd been extra diligent after the incident not so long ago, Team Aqua had not been spotted in the city at all recently.

My mouth twisted into and unsure frown as I hurried up one of the main pathways. There was still one option – Dock, the man I'd helped during that incident, naïve of what I was getting into… The museum had brought back strong, clear memories that though had once intimidated me now instead worked to quicken my pace and steel my will. Archie had gone too far. I'd let him get this far…

The receptionist told me Dock was up at the harbor, in the main building, a structure that stood out in the shanty coastal area of Slateport. Even as the first masts came into sight, the red steel roof of the harbor was visible. I hopped onto the Mach Bike and rode the rest of the way over, letting the salty, warm air lift my hair from my face.

Rounding the final corner and approaching the harbor entrance, I still had no answers. There wasn't a blue-headed freak in sight. There was, however, a crowd of people and flashing cameras around the entrance, so taking caution, I slid off of the bike and ducked into the crowd, hoping to just look like another passing trainer.

Among the varied voices surrounding me, one was distinct, and I strained to follow it as I weaved in between townspeople, their faces alive with excitement.

"…Well, then, that's about it. As I stated, this expedition is very important and we are fully able to and willing to push forward towards its success."

I poked my head out towards the entrance. Yes, undoubtedly, that was Dock, looking a little more poised than the last time I'd seen him. He bowed curtly, a small but potent smile on his face, as the various interviewers ringed around him gave their thanks. I sunk back, waiting for the last of the newspeople to leave, before bursting from the chattering crowd and approaching him.

"Whew… That was my first TV interview, ever," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow before turning to me and gasping. "Oh! You are… May!"

I nodded. "Hi, Mr. Dock. You seem happier."

He beamed. "Yes, you're certainly looking alright yourself, May. I just reported my recent findings to the media. It's a breakthrough, a breakthrough, I'm telling you! A huge discovery."

Curiosity picked at my tongue but I only nodded, wanted to get past the subject and onto that of Aqua.

"…You see, on Route 128, using our technology – some vital parts of it being what you rescued from the clutches of Team Aqua, that one time – we've discovered a massive undersea cavern. Massive! It is highly possible that this place could contain Pokemon this world hasn't seen in centuries, living and thriving. And-"

Just as I was about to interrupt, the urgent words ready to burst from my chest, both of us were stopped by a third voice, an aggressor unseen. A deep, throaty laugh echoed through the courtyard outside of the harbor building, its familiarity sending a chill up my spine and freezing my feet in my shoes, my shoes in their place on the cobblestone.

"Captain Stern, is it?"

All noise drained from the area, the distant roar of the ocean waves being the only sound reaching my ears. I saw the captain pale and from the feeling of dread that seemed to be crawling up my body I figured my face was doing the same.

"With or without consent, we of Team Aqua will now be taking control of your prize submarine! We've chosen you to become a catalyst for the great goal we wish to realize – so, just sit right there and watch and learn! Heh…hahahaha…!"

With that, there was a garbled click, and then the chatter along the streets slowly returned.

Stern's eyes were widened behind his glasses, his jaw clenched. "That voice, being projected… What was… Where did it…"

I looked around, instincts nearly taking over as I searched my surroundings for that man – Archie. But still, there was no sign.

There came another gasp from behind me and I eyed Stern again. He whirled around towards the now menacing building behind us and I realized what he was thinking.

"The Harbor… It came from the _Harbor!_ That man, T-team Aqua, they're…" Stern's breath quickened, sweat once again reappearing on his wrinkled, brow, "they're going to steal the submarine!"

I swallowed and darted inside, hearing the older man right on my tail, bursting into the main chamber of the harbor. All sorts of metal cranes and crates filled the building, but I didn't take the time to gander at them, instead focusing on two figures that I'd been yearning to find ever since I'd landed in the city.

"That's- a-as I thought, the same lot that tried to take the Devon Parts…" Stern's worried gaze landed on me and I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Team Aqua."

Curly, wild red hair exploding from the blue bandanna, partnered with dark, smooth cloth fitted to a toned form – Shelly and Archie, Admin and Leader, both stood at the main boarding area of the harbor, both holding wolfish grins on their faces that were characteristic of Team Aqua. Their beady eyes followed my movements as I hurried towards them, feeling my own expression contort, my teeth grit, my brow lower.

"Amazing!" Archie's enthusiasm was offsetting, but I stood tall, one hand lowering to Mightyena's Pokeball – the Pokemon was still raring for revenge. "You really busted your ass, trailing us to Mt. Pyre and now back here, to Slateport!" He blinked, seeing I held no reply but my glare, before his smirk deepened. "What a sense of justice you have! Hahah-hahahaha!"

I could feel my fingernails digging into my skin through my gloves and took a second to search the waters of the harbor for the submarine. If it was still here, it was submerged. Questions, frustrated anxiety pounded at my thoughts. _How did they get away with this? Without anyone in Slateport seeing them? Where is Magma?_

"But you're too late."

Archie's low remark echoed through my mind and a powerful wave of fear moved across my skin.

"No one, not even _you, _can stop Team Aqua, now. With this submarine, we can do everything we've planned for – starting with that cavern. I'd tell ya not to get any ideas, kid," Archie paused to poke one meaty finger against my collarbone, shoving me back a few feet, "but I know you pretty well, well enough to realize you'll chase us all the way back to our base in Lilycove."

_Base? Their base is in Lilycove…?! _I swallowed, all of the pieces coming together. _It only makes sense, with how many grunts were there..._

Archie shrugged, his great shoulders heaving, and chuckled once more. "Whatever your great _honor _demands, scampy. C'mon, Shelly! The world awaits!"

The redhead turned, the same wicked smile on her face. "Grunts, buy us some time!" With that she winked and sprinted ahead of the slow-moving Archie, diving right off of the pier into the water below. Archie quickened and did the same.

From around the corner, two grunts whirled towards us, Mightyenas at their sides.

"No!" Stern's cry brought be back to reality and I gave chase, stopping at the edge of the pier as the water rocked back and forth as though something beneath were stirring it – _the submarine!_

Quickly, I called out Ludicolo and Pelipper, but the latter was too exhausted to give chase, and the former, though swift, couldn't keep up with the advanced piece of technology that was rapidly increasing its speed. Before Pelipper even reached the water, the hijacked submarine was out of the harbor and diving deeper into the sea, propelling itself towards its destination.

I bit my lip, withdrawing the two Water-type Pokemon, and glanced at Stern, who appeared completely broken. "My technology… It was supposed to be used for research, peaceful research, and now those thugs have…!" He sighed, bringing one hand to his head and running it through his greasy hair. "Why? What do they hope to accomplish? Stealing such a piece of equipment… twice, at that, could only mean they wish to dive to that cavern with the resting ancient Pokemon…" He seemed to deflate. "There's no way I can go up against such a group… If only the public had realized sooner…"

"I'm sorry, Captain Stern…!" I could feel my voice returning again, rising into a shout. "I'll return it! I'll catch Archie!"

I tossed two Pokeballs out at the grunts that were now upon us, and the opposing Dark-types and my own Mightyena and Bagon clashed explosively just a few feet ahead of me. The fear crawling up my spine had lit up into a hot blaze of confidence, at least for now, and I put my all into the battle.

_Archie… This is the last time you get away!_

* * *

Steven clapped the Pokenav shut, leaning back on Skarmory's steel exterior and sighing. _Get a hold of yourself… You can't go into a panic. Focus. Whatever happens, you have to stay diligent… _He looked at the object before shoving it away in a pocket. Flannery had called, telling the man confidently that she'd seen May exiting Jagged Pass in good shape.

But the main purpose of her call had been something much more urgent – a large amount of Magma grunts leaving from the same vicinity, disappearing before she could give chase. Flannery had only noted that they seemed to have been heading east, but had no other news.

If he wanted to know what was going on, it seemed only logical to contact May. But if the whole thing had been a trapped – and somehow, she'd gotten out unscathed – what _had _Magma done? Was someone following her? For what purpose? Steven had ran the question through his mind dozens of times, pressing two fingers to his temple. _Why would Maxie invite May to their hideout? What am I missing? How would that aid their purpose – awakening… Groudon?_

Sighing, Steven stared at the sea below. He had only just left Sootopolis. If the young woman had somehow bested Magma in their base, then it was best she was left to her own business and all of his anxiety was for nothing. Likewise, if she _had _fallen for whatever trap he suspected Maxie of, her Pokenav could be bugged, for all Steven knew.

Said device suddenly buzzed again, its ring earning a slight jolt from the Steel-Flying-type Pokemon, and Steven picked up the call. "Hello?"

"_Steven Stone! It's actually you! This is Mr. Stern."_

"Stern!" Steven cleared his throat, trying to recover his professional tone. "Do you need to commission new parts from Devon? Or…" Dread poked at the man's head. "Did something happen again?"

"_No, no, none of that, Steven! Something simple. I've already spoken with your father. I'm having my first interview today about it, in around an hour, actually!"_

Steven brought one hand to the Pokenav, lowering his shoulder and relaxing his posture a bit. "Is that so? An interview – so, your team has discovered something?"

"_A huge discovery! An underwater cavern not too far from the coast of Mossdeep – I'd actually like to invite you to the exploration team, once I get to that stage. Our main purpose may be to explore for ancient Pokemon that we're _sure _are living there, but I'm sure it will also be a geological feat."_

_Underwater cavern…? _The thought was of interest to Steven, momentarily drawing his concerns away as he thought about the types of rocks that may be found there. Hoenn was truly a gold mine when it came to rare formations in the environment. _But… ancient Pokemon… _Stern's words, combined with the reading he'd done just hours ago that'd haunted his dreams, seemed linked, somehow. "My apologies, Stern, but may I call you back once I land at Mossdeep?"

"_Oh, of course! Hang in there, Steven. Like I said, it'd be a joy to have you and even your father on the exploration team. If you two are busy, I'd understand, but after all Devon has done to help with the completion of the submarine, I'd be honored!"_

Steven hummed in reply, spotting Mossdeep's verdant smudge on the horizon. "Of course, Captain. Give me five or six minutes, okay? Goodbye."

"_Bye!"_

The trainer clicked the phone off, head whirring once again, face tightening as he dove into his own thoughts. _Underwater cavern… Things are starting to piece together…_

Not too far below him there was a clap, and Steven's eyebrows shot up as he spotted a massive blotch of sky blue rise up from the choppy expanse of indigo, roll over to show off its shiny, white underside, and then disappear beneath a wave once more. Wailord – they were rare around here, but certainly not unseen.

Sighing, he ran one hand along Skarmory's neck, the feeling of the cool, smooth steel beneath his palm comforting to the trainer. _In any case, if things get truly dangerous, Hoenn's oceanic half will more likely than not be the source. I shouldn't stray far from Mossdeep and Sootopolis…_

* * *

**A/N: **As you can tell I'm sort of moving away from the anime-style chapter titles and being a little briefer.

To clear any confusion, May was partly conscious during Groudon's awakening but not fully, so she doesn't remember or realize it's happened.


	34. False Hope

**A/N: **Gaaah, here is the next chapter! The wait was inexcusable! Aside from a general lack of motivation I did a lot of traveling, had college orientation, a con, work, etc. etc. but I finally think I got this chapter to where I like it! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 34: False Hope**

A thin layer of mist accompanied the cool dawn in Littleroot Town. The sun was peeking over the horizon and a very gentle breeze was stirring up the forest surrounding the settlement. The lively calls of Tailow were yet to be heard.

Norman, as usual, was one of the first people in the entire town to wake up. He insisted that the people of Hoenn were just, for back of a letter word, lazy, but really it was just the Gym Leader's own habit of getting to his Gym early. He languidly carried out his morning routine, careful not to stir his wife from her sleep, and trudged out to the kitchen to start some tea. Robotically, the man flicked on the morning news before rummaging through drawers looking for his Pokeballs and the keys to the Petalburg gym.

It was as Norman was pouring the searing-hot water into a cup that the television program caught his attention and he jolted, the liquid splashing onto his wrist. Quickly, he set aside the half-full mug and turned to face the TV.

The program was covering some sort of incident in Slateport that'd happened earlier in the week, and he'd barely payed any attention at first – with the amount of traffic the port city got from so many different places, there were bound to be mishaps – but it was when Norman's own daughter appeared on the footage that he was brought to attention.

"_Get out of the way!" _May was standing at the entrance to a building that Norman recognized from his many trips to and from Hoenn as the Harbor. Her face was screwed up, frustrated, an expression very familiar to her father, and the reporter that was holding out the microphone to her appeared shocked at this response.

With a scowl, Norman remembered once more his daughter's dilemma. Her own silly hero complex and immaturity had led her to get involved with a gang of thugs – Team Aqua – and furthermore she'd refused to tell him, had let things progress into unsafe territory, until members of the group actually showed up at their home. It had become obvious to Norman, when he'd put two and two together and realized she was the girl that the news had been talking about, that his daughter was not ready for the responsibility of being a trainer…

…And then she'd run off. Like a child, May had run away. He gritted his teeth – though his wife wouldn't admit it, she partially blamed him for their child's absence, and truthfully, Norman did as well. But his frustration still overwhelmed the guilt, and honestly, by now he thought his daughter would have learned her lesson and come home, cutting ties with the gang.

The headline of the report – "BREAKING NEWS: TEAM AQUA MAKES APPEARANCE AT SLATEPORT SHIPYARD" proved his assumption otherwise.

"_But, miss, did you see what happened? What did Team Aqua do? Are you okay? What is your involvement with-"_

May swung around and began pushing through the crowd of people around the Harbor, away from the camera, briefly turning her head to bark, "_Can't you see?! Team Aqua is going to do something _terrible _and you're here bugging me for an interview?! Hoenn could be in danger!" _Her eyes flared dangerously, the sapphire color stirring like a whirlpool, "_What are _you _doing to help?!"_

With that, the trainer disappeared into the crowd. The camera turned back to the interviewer, who wiped an astonished expression from her pointed features and began searching for another witness.

A long sigh escaped from Norman and he flicked the TV off, resting his arms on the table and burying his head in them, the tea forgotten. _What is she doing? What am I doing?_

His grievances were no sooner interrupted by the creaking of the floor as his wife approached him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong, honey?"

Quickly, Norman composed himself and stood. "Not enough sleep. I'm running late – I should head to the Gym."

With that, he very swiftly turned and exited the house, leaving his wife with a rather cold feeling.

The woman watched her husband disappear over the hills and then turned back to the TV, flicking it on to see the interview playing again, and in an expression similar to that of Norman's rested her head in her arms, a heavy shadow of worry surrounding her.

* * *

The familiar skyline of Lilycove City quickly morphed into huge buildings and bright lights amidst the obnoxiously red sky. I jogged with confidence, a scowl on my face, along the streets where I'd seen most of the Aqua grunts the other night, along the shoreline. Sure enough there was a throng of the blue-donned thugs every few blocks, laughing or glancing suspiciously around. It wasn't until I noticed a trio of Aqua grunts encircling what seemed to be a harmless old man that I was driven to action.

Within a few turns of battle, the three grunts were defeated, cursing and hissing under their breath, promising to bring backup. I kept my mouth shut, instead offering the old man, who had backed up against a rail fence surrounding the rocky cliff and, further below, a beach, a helping hand.

He smiled, getting to his feet and dusting off his robe. "Thank you, young miss," he said with a nod. "Always nice to see such energetic youth… The good kind, not the bad kind, like those goons!"

I mustered a smile of my own, resting my hands on my hips, trying to quell the feeling of pride in my chest. "It's only courtesy, Mr. Old Man, sir. Can I ask what they were bothering you about…?"

The wrinkled man frowned, running one hand along his short white beard and humming to himself. "Well, my Pokemon, of course. It's the same thing as last week…"

I raised an eyebrow. "Your Pokemon?"

He nodded, drawing a Pokeball from his belt. "Now, I won't take this here Pokemon out, but I'll tell you, it's a strong Water-type Pokemon! It wouldn't do well on a paved road like this… But those Team Aqua are just keen on stealin' other's Pokemon instead of catching them themselves!"

_Of course. _A sting of annoyance pricked my thoughts as I came up with another question. "So they've been around here a lot lately? Do you know where they're coming from? I-I'm actually looking for their leader, Archie."

The man's dark eyes flashed in recognition and he turned towards the sea, pointing a shaking, bony finger at a rock formation on the tip of the coastline, far north of town. "I've been watchin' em. Keeping me eyes open… These Aqua people have made enough of a disturbance for me to hold a grudge, and despite how forgiving I try to be, the thought of them getting their lesson taught through forceful means lifts a weight from my chest! They always come from an inlet by those cliffs."

I squinted, making out a dark blotch among the sea-worn rocks – _the entrance?_ My gloves squeaked in protest as I clenched both my fists. "Thanks, grandpa! I really appreciate it."

He inclined his head and gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Fiery young girl! Go get 'em!"

* * *

Lilycove's scenery wasn't very different from that of Olivine's. I hadn't noticed it much until now, running along the coastal road, the ocean in plain sight. A strong, salty sea breeze blew over my skin, through my clothes, separated my bangs into little strands on my head as I pedaled the Acro Bike further down the sidewalk. Though Lilycove, like the rest of Hoenn, had a landscape heavily integrated with nature, its reliance on this bustling port – cramped with both commercial freighters, colorful sailboats, and fishing vessels – was strikingly similar to my hometown. The cliffs, though of a more maroon color than those in Olivine, caused me to momentarily get distracted in memories. I shook my head and focused my attention back to the road I was hurtling down.

Once the entrance to the rock formation came into closer sight, I hopped off of the Acro Bike and continued with a brisk jog, shoving the folded mechanism back in my bag. The sun was setting on what had been another steamy, radiant summer day in Hoenn, with the sunset itself reaching a colorful climax and tie-dying the sky around me. The reds and oranges, the scarlets and saffrons were overbearing on my already overheated body, giving the impression I was surrounded by fire.

The feeling immediately died down as I flew off of the bottom step of the natural seawall and heard a _splat!_ Water – it was low tide and the majority of the beach was covered in thin, clear shallows, like a layer of rippling glass above the musky sand below. At the northern end of town things were more remote, more untouched by man, with the industrial areas being at the South end, and likewise this made it the perfect place to run a criminal hideout.

_Ring! Ring!_

"Huh?" The Pokegear's alarm drilled into my ears, mercilessly killing the serenity the beach gave off. _Someone's calling..?_ Pausing in the shallows, I whipped out the device.

"Hello?"

* * *

"May! This is Steven."

The girl's silvery voice returned the greeting after a moment of hesitation. "_Steven! What's up?"_

He was taken aback at how cheery she sounded considering the tone of their last call. "Err… I assume you're well? You ventured into Team Magma's base, didn't you? Maxie didn't... try anything?"

"_No,_" came the voice from the other end, with just a tinge of uncertainty. "_Nothing really happened, actually…"_

Steven moved over to one of the few windows his small Mossdeep cottage had, the one looking out west over the sea to Lilycove and the Hoenn mainland. The sight was no different from usual; shimmering azure as far as the eye could see, contrasting with the hot, fiery red of the sky above. So many questions and thoughts were bouncing around in his head, yet for once the trainer was hardly able to formulate any of them into a sentence fitting of the conversation. "What do you mean…? Maxie just let you go?" _Why did he invite her there in the first place? As a tool against Archie?_

_"More or less, yes… Um… why do you ask? Did Team Magma do something? I'm in Lilycove, but I haven't been near a TV at all today."_

Reasons – so many reasons. Aside from common decency in making sure May was unharmed, there was also the fact that he had nearly confirmed the theory that Magma was looking to revive Groudon. Only now had he realized – _What a fool I am!_ "…Team Magma's base was in Mt. Chimney, correct? I've been hearing all sorts of things about the seismic and underground activity of Hoenn changing… abnormally, in the past 24 hours. Are you sure he didn't try to erupt the volcano? Or.. anything else suspicious?" Mostly he had been anticipating the trainer's eventual arrival in Mossdeep City for the Gym challenge, when he could speak to May in person again and discuss things clearly. There was a reason Steven's Pokegear had next to no contacts in it and was hardly ever used, and a chance to see how May was progressing as a trainer was exciting in itself.

"Not exactly," came the awkward reply – Steven half-realized he was, more or less, interrogating her. "They all evacuated while I was there, though, because of what Aqua was going to do in Slateport."

Steven allowed a shaky sigh of relief at the news. _Whatever the case, they're out of Mt. Chimney… _"Don't let your guard down with them, May," he warned carefully, gray eyes glued to the blooming horizon. The sight vaguely reminded him of the ride on Latios to Southern Island, and though the circumstances were hardly any different then, it felt like an easier and happier time. "If you confront Archie or Maxie again, contact me first. I can't explain it all over the phone, but after some research I'm starting to realize what they're planning, and the risks are extremely high."

An uneasy silence took hold of the conversation before May spoke up, as cheery and confident as ever. "_Well, you'll never guess where I am right now – Team Aqua's base! Aheh… heh…"_

"What?" Steven's hold on the phone tightened. "I- Seriously?"

May laughed once more. _"You bet! Don't worry about me, I've got Archie cornered and I'm not waiting for anything now. Whatever it is you're afraid he might do, I'm gonna stop it before it happens."_

More than anything Steven wanted to believe in the girl's unlimited confidence. It was contagious, and despite how pessimistic he had been for the past few weeks – months, even – it lifted some weight from his chest. The trainer had realized after watching the news on the submarine hijacking and seeing May gallantly storm off that he was no longer the main player in the battle to stop Aqua and Magma – he never had been, with the responsibility and image of both being the Devon heir and the League Champion. Luckily for him, May was someone easy to believe in, even in a role that, to Steven, had felt like having the weight of the world on your shoulders.

"I'll leave it to you, then, May," he nodded, scoffing and smiling to himself. "Best of luck."

* * *

_Gee_, I thought, puffing out my cheeks, _it's never easy to have a conversation with that guy! He's so serious!_ Even then there had always been something alluring about him, whether it was the fact that he was apparently a powerful and somewhat renowned trainer and failed to ever mention that in all the times we'd met, or the fact that someone like the Devon heir was always running into me in even the wildest corners of Hoenn like Route 120, or the fact that he was in a roundabout way my only ally through this whole mess, or maybe the rock-collecting guy was just strangely charming. Either way, I was left slightly in a daze after ending the call, arms hanging at my side, watching the distant tangerine glimmer of the ocean.

_Crash!_ A rush of cold reached up to my knees as a sizeable wave rolled through the shallows, snapping me back to reality. _That's… right. I'll stop Archie, Steven. I have to._

I waded further out along the coast, my shoes beginning to squeak and squelch against my bare feet, until the water began to deepen and darken into the sapphire color it seemed to be from afar. When the waves began to reach my thighs, I called out Lombre and surfed precariously along the cliffs. _If the weather were any worse, _I thought, gazing at the weak lilypad on the Pokemon's head uneasily, _then Lombre may not be able to get very far. And it can't be doing very well in salt water, either…_

Despite its labored breathing, the duck Pokemon drifted into the dark opening in the cliffs and both of our small forms were swallowed up into the shadows.

It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust – the lighting was so dim, though very clearly had a blue tint to it. Lombre paddled up to land – no, I realized, the gray, metal tiling was the floor of the base, not just pure rock – and flopped onto its back, breathing heavily. I frowned and muttered a small apology, taking note that freshwater Pokemon did _not_ do so well in salt water.

As I moved further down the hall, the lighting became a deep blue tint, and the steel walls turned to glass that showed the sea surrounding the corridor. Large, tattered banners with the familiar white symbol hung from the ceiling every few yards. Without a doubt, this was Aqua's base. _And without a doubt Archie is in here somewhere._

Eventually a dark mechanical door came into sight, completely unguarded. _That's right… _I thought back to my recent trip into Team Magma's base. _I won't be allowed in, this time. Archie… _Confidence began to glow to life in my chest as I pulled the door open with a grunt. _You're cornered, now!_

The base opened up around me, floors upon floors containing a mix of large, open chambers, research halls containing all kinds of strange documents, research files, and pieces of technology, and small office quarters. Grunts prowled around the place like ants – some I fought, and some I snuck around.

"Out of the way!" I exclaimed as a defeated and downtrodden grunt scurried out of one of said office rooms, Pokeballs in hand. I smirked. _They know I'm coming, so I better make as big of a damn scene as I can!_ This room stretched back further than the others, though lined with the same stiff leather chairs and outdated computer monitors. A small, unlabeled doorway at the back caught my attention. Carefully, I made my way towards it, the sound of my feet scuffing against the hard metal floor being the only noise in the room aside from the buzzing of the fluorescent lights. I hesitated once I reached the dark object, hand hovering over the shiny gold handle, before stepping back and instead opting to kick it open, ramming one bright yellow sneaker into the center of the wood.

To my own surprise, the door swung open and slammed against the wall. There was no cry of protest, no call for help, so clearly this room was empty. Sniffing and clenching my fists, I advanced, taking a good look around.

The room was less developed, still retaining the hard rock walls of the sea cavern the base was carved out of, though the floor was covered in black, rubber tiles with holes in them, like something you'd see at a dock. Other than this, however, the small chamber was unoccupied by anything. Further back, in a corner, was a pool of brackish water.

Approaching it, I realized the water was coming from a small tunnel – not large enough for a human to fit through, unless they were crawling on all fours – but strangely, it was blocked off by a number of large, steel bars.

I frowned, completely baffled, until I noticed what exactly the pool's purpose was; hovering around the bars in the misty water were at the very least twenty Carvahna and Sharpedo.

Fear zipped up my spine at the sight and I took an unconscious step away from the pool. _What the hell? Are they storing these Pokemon here? Why? _I looked around, finding a crumpled piece of paper not too far from the water's edge, and flattened it out on my knee.

**CAUTION: UNTAMED POKEMON. HIGHLY DANGEROUS. Grunts, seek guidance from an Admin before approaching the pool. Possession of these Pokemon is permitted only for grunts given an admit to do so… Remember to feed…**

The rest of the paper was damaged by water. I tossed another cautious look at the Pokemon; they were swimming back and forth, slowly – almost too slowly. _I don't know much about this kind of Pokemon, but… it's almost like they're docile…_ Watching the aquatic forms swerve back and forth was almost relaxing, but something else was tugging at my mind and not allowing me from leaving the room. _Where's the chum? Any kind of food? Shouldn't there be someone watching them? _I gazed into the dark muck, the water just barely rippling from their movement, and into the barred tunnel that most likely lead to the ocean. The capacity for the tiny water body had to be at the _most, _five, and lining the submerged halves of the metal bars were countless teeth marks, all made in vain.

With a huff, I approached the pool once more, knowing exactly what I had to do. _I'm not gonna be able to leave this room, without… _Carefully, I maneuvered around the edge, getting as close as I could to the bars, and made a sad attempt at kicking them; the action only startled the hungry, abandoned Pokemon below and caused me to almost fall into the water.

Avoiding the venomous gazes of a number of the Carvahna, I kicked once more. No good. _Looks like this is a job for… _"Go!"

Blaziken exploded from its ball, grunting in surprise at how close I'd released it to the water. It eyed me meticulously, crossing its dark arms. If it were possible for a beaked creature to frown, then Blaziken would definitely be doing this.

I grinned halfheartedly. "Come on, Blaziken, we can't just leave them here. Wild Pokemon or not, this isn't right…"

The Pokemon moved its gaze to the Water-type below and grunted once more, as if saying, "not while those are around."

Sighing, I called out another Pokemon – Lileep. It landed in the water, causing the sedated Pokemon to scatter. "Astonish!"

The ripples in the water became rapid waves as Lileep attacked the imprisoned crowd. Blaziken, off to my left, was watching carefully. I tossed out another attack. "Now, Ingrain!"

Lileep had gotten particularly good with the move, having learned it since it had been revived in Rustboro City. The thick, dirty roots shot out in all directions, digging into the rock around Lileep and forming a makeshift wall around half of the pool, effectively caging in the dangerous Water-types. At this point, however, the Pokemon were agitated enough to strike back at Lileep, speeding forwards and headbutting the fragile fossil or latching onto it with deadly jaws.

Gulping, I seized the opportunity and leapt into vacant section of the murky water, immediately cringing at the foul, fishy smell. It was deeper than it appeared, the liquid rising up to my shoulders. Wading over to the metal bars, I grabbed them with both hands and shook. _No good – not even a budge._ If there'd been a switch to open them, one of the grunts must have taken it.

Lileep cried out somewhere behind me. Time was already running out.

"Blaziken! Get down here, stupid bird!" I shouted, tugging desperately at the bars.

The Pokemon treaded over to the edge of the water and narrowed its eyes. Lileep, meanwhile, was sustaining the beating of a lifetime, and many of the roots created by Ingrain were slinking away. After a few more drawn out seconds, the Fire-type stepped in and approached the tunnel, dramatically crying out as it did.

A grin floated back onto my face and I backed away from the Pokemon. "Now – Ember! Then Double Kick!"

With a low hiss Blaziken shot the metal bars with amped-up fire and then jumped from the water to bring its feet around and kick them in. They bent easily, creating a sizeable gap. The Fire-type landed back in the pool with a great splash, riling the Sharpedo school up even more, and, gasping, I guided it out of the water and recalled Lileep.

As soon as the Pokemon blocking their way had disappeared the Water-types rushed forwards, squeezing through the gap Blaziken had created in the bars and zooming into the darkness of the tunnel. I crossed my arms, unable to stifle a laugh. "I can't tell if releasing a bunch of hungry Carvahnas and Sharpedos into the sea was a good thing or a bad thing, now..."

Blaziken grunted, clearly unhappy that it had gotten wet, and retreated into its own Pokeball.

I was about to turn and leave when a dark blotch in the pool caught my eye. A Sharpedo. It hadn't left, but rather was strafing to and fro in the water, dark red eyes following me.

I gulped. _Does it think I'm food…? Or… It does seem docile, maybe it's happy I let them out…? _Kneeling down on the hard floor I took off a glove and held one trembling hand out towards the Pokemon's indigo form. _What the hell are you doing, May…?! You're going to lose your hand!_

However the Sharpedo had other ideas and instead nudged against my palm. I took an uneasy breath, the rough, scratchy exterior of the Pokemon feeling bizarre and alien. However no sooner did the Pokemon make contact did it back away, letting out a low growl, and turning to the side. Nicks and scars of all sorts covered the Pokemon's hide, but one strange object stood out; it was an unnatural shade of scarlet and shaped like a flower. And were those letters? _Wait… _I gaped. "A contest ribbon?!"

Sharpedo growled again. I was aghast – _how could it get one of those, and be… _here? _Unless… _The poster from earlier flashed through my mind and I felt my body lock up. _Unless they weren't all wild Pokemon. Unless they were stolen…_ I looked over the battered Pokemon again. It seemed to have tried its best while in the tank to divert all wounds from the ribbon just below its dorsal fin. _How would you even steal a Contest Pokemon so easily? Unless they hurt the trainer… _Every further thought on the subject made me feel ill and I got to my feet, holding out an empty Luxury Ball to the brutal Pokemon. "You wanna come with me, then, little guy? I can help you find your trainer."

The Sharpedo again approached the ledge I was standing at and held up its snout. Taking the movement as a yes, I tossed the dark object out and watched with a furrowed brow as it clicked shut, confirming the catch.

"Welcome to the team…"

* * *

The rest of the infiltration went smoothly. The grunts were a total joke compared to Brendan, and thinking back to what a struggle the Weather Institute fight had been was almost laughable, if I wasn't still seriously freaked out by it. _But you're stronger now, _I thought, holding out one hand and clenching it. Strangely enough, Blazekin, despite being a Pokemon, had nearly become as much of a trainer to me as I was to it. _And so are your Pokemon. You're not defenseless anymore… _

Navigating the labyrinth of a base was difficult, especially with each side-room sporting the same dull gray walls and lab setup, though eventually I came to a large chamber holding a striking resemblance to Slateport's Harbor. A walkway lined with supply crates and grunts ran around an enclosed body of dark water, big enough for…

…_A submarine. _I tightened my bandanna and forged onwards, blasting through the grunts until I reached the ramp leading into the sea. Only one figure was posed there, the hulking mass of a man known as Matt, and he bellowed before turning to face me. "Well, look who it is!"

_If he's here, the sub must still be here, too… _"You're not the one I'm looking for," I replied, wrapping a hand around a Pokeball. "Where's Archie?"

"I guess we really did underestimate ya!" The admin continued, scratching his chin. "You've been on our case this whole time, but never enough, squirt! Now we're the ones one step ahead'a you. You shouldn'a been slacking off – there's no way you can stop Boss Archie now! I don't even need to stall for time!"

Despite Matt's mocking tone, there was truth in his words. "What do you mean…?" I pried, cautiously. "That's the reason you're here. To stall…"

He shook his head, taking a few steps closer to me. "Nuh-uh-uh! Aqua is DONE! We've got what we want now. This sub here, n' the orb we got at Mt. Pyre will let us do it all. All that's left for me to do is pulverize you."

_What is he talking about?!_ Questions and anxiety pounded against my head as I chucked out the ball in my hand.

* * *

Archie nodded to the two grunts in the main cabin of the sub, ducking beneath a door and heading towards the rear of the vessel. Among the glittering green lights that controlled the advanced piece of equipment was a camera feed from above the water's surface. _So, the girl's here._ Victorious as he was, the man wanted to see her weak, and yet determined little mug once more before the sub started towards its destination. _After all, this will be the last time._

Archie strolled towards a porthole near the stern and peered outside. The angle was poor, but the battle between Matt and May was clearly heating up. Two Mightyenas were fighting viciously, rolling and crashing down the steel ramp towards the water, jaws snapping at each other. Hers had certainly grown since the battle at Mt. Chimney – it was hardly distinguishable from Matt's, a Pokemon that'd been training side-by-side with the man since he'd first donned the Aqua insignia. Further up was the Admin himself, standing tall and proud, and back some was May, in her own battle stance. It was all Archie could glimpse – the girl was a good distance away, and his vision was partially distorted by the moving surface of the water. But he could image that annoyingly heroic expression on her face, all scrunched up, jaw clenched, brown hair sticking out from beneath that red bandanna that was seemingly the antithesis of Aqua itself.

_If only the scamp wasn't so ignorant, and was willing to join us. _He chuckled, turning away from the window, rolling his shoulders to stretch his back – it was rather cramped in the sub. _Could have made a great admin, could've given that Maxie a run for his money!_

"Archie, sir!" came the voice of a young grunt from an adjacent room. "Are you ready to depart?"

* * *

"Heh… hahah… HAH!" Matt fell to one knee, recalling his Pokemon and indulging in another fit of laughter. "Well, you win, girl! Fair n' square! Good fight!"

I searched the water beyond the admin for the massive shadow of the hijacked submarine. _I can still make it. I have to._

"…But," the man spoke up, his deep, booming voice growing serious, "you're still too late! Heheheh… You're right. I was just messin' with ya and buying Boss Archie some time."

My feet moved on their own, speeding towards the water. Despite this, Matt kept going, pulling himself to his feet.

"Heheh… And guess what? It's done!"

_No…! _I stopped at the edge of the ramp, the upset turquoise water licking at my shoes.

The silhouette was gone.

_The sub…_

Matt's heavy footsteps grew closer as he, still snickering, moved to stand beside me. "Boss is gone now, kid. He's on his way. Off to some cave deep beneath the sea where he's gonna finish what he started."

A chill was gradually spreading across my skin. _I was too late. I was too late… The sub… The orb…_ _Steven… I… _I tried to fight against the creeping fear in my chest.

Feeling lightheaded, I stepped back up the ramp, eyes not moving from the soupy body of water which had just swallowed up the submarine, the last hope I had of stopping Archie, of fixing what I'd allowed to happen. Matt watched with a curious gaze and a knowing smirk.

"It's not over," I objected, completely contradicting what I was thinking. My voice sounded pitiful, barely creating an echo in the enormous chamber. _What an idiot I am. _"I'll find Archie and I'll stop him."

Matt raised one eyebrow, crossing his massive, muscular arms across his chest. "Oh?" He jiggled as another chuckle escaped him. "Are you? Well, you better get started, little girl. And quickly, cause you're gonna be combing the whole, wide ocean beyond Lilycove City, every inch of it." Matt's mocking tone returned as he waded into the water himself and called out his Sharpedo. "But even then, will you be able to find Boss before he finds the cave? I wouldn't bet on it, someone as thickheaded as you! Heheheh!"

Matt's words echoed ominously through the hideout as he grabbed a hold of the Sharpedo's dorsal fin and disappeared beneath the water's surface.

I stumbled backwards, leaning against a wall. Fear. _I'm afraid. _The worst part was that I didn't even know what to be afraid _of_. I only knew bits and pieces – Team Aqua's goal of expanding the sea, the fact that Archie had the Red Orb on hand, a seafloor cavern… _I can't even cross the sea on my own, nevermind go diving into it… _My own lack of knowledge only served to bring more anxiety. As if that wasn't enough, the ever-familiar migraine was now returning.

"First thing's first…" the words emerged weakly from my lips, full of defeat I didn't realize I was feeling. "I need to get out of here."

* * *

The moon was high in the sky when I resurfaced from Team Aqua's base, and to make matters worse it was high tide, which meant putting Lombre through more salt-water surfing. I ventured back into the heart of Lilycove – which was alive with all sorts of colored lights and live music and contest events, as it was only quarter past ten. Still, I felt unwell. _Maybe it's hunger._

A brightly-lit ramen shop caught my attention and I ordered an unhealthy amount of noodles to-go, taking them across the street to the Pokemon Center.

_Food, check… Pokemon… _The nurse gave a small bow before retreating into the operating rooms of the Pokemon Center to heal my battered team. I'd noted that Sharpedo needed extra attention. _…Check._

By the time I shut the door to the guest room I felt like a living human Slugma. _Bed… _I rested the brown paper take-out bag next to the headboard, kicked off the Running Shoes, and fell face-first into the plush. _Check._

An hour later, after eating and cleaning up, I laid on my back in the bed, covered comfortable in blankets, the lights turned off, exhaustion having overtaken every muscle in my body. But sleep wouldn't come. Eleven turned to twelve, twelve to one. After blaming the insomnia on a dozen different sources – the food, the anxiety, and so on – I eventually gave in to a thought that'd been chewing at the back of my mind for a while now.

_There's something wrong with me, _I concluded, blue eyes wide as I stared up at the ceiling._ I don't know when it started, I don't know what it is but I can't keep pretending these bad headaches and dreams and insomnia aren't just coincidences…_

* * *

**A/N: **I always saw the Red/Blue orbs as a little dangerous, in the manga/anime they're these artifacts with crazy power that Archie/Maxie can't control, so there is some of that supernatural element added in here. Both are strongly connected to their respective legendaries, and likewise repellent to the other, idk that's my theory as to why the opposite awaken each other; Groudon would feel Kyogre's energy in the Blue Orb and awaken due to rage, and vice versa.

Did you all notice how in ORAS when you pick it up at Mt. Pyre there's a heartbeat sound?! Creepy.


	35. VS Tate & Liza

**A/N: **Wow! I want to thank everyone who's followed this fic since I first published it. I'm really touched that somehow it got over 100 follows. Even if some of them probably aren't caught up and reading it currently, I'm still pleasantly surprised that at some point they decided this big Hoenn-bible was worth following I also want to give an enormous thank you to everyone who's left a review, even the little ones totally make my day and help get me motivated to write the next chapter. For a fic with as wild a word count as this, 100 isn't much is it? But then again it won't feel complete to me if I cut out too much, Pokemon is a big series, and since this is my first 'official' fic I've actually put a continued effort into, 100 means a lot! So, thanks!

* * *

**Chapter 35: VS. Tate and Liza, "The Mystic Combination!"**

"A-ah, it's hot today…"

"Oh, my! Do you need help there?"

Wally took another breath as he reached the top of a set of stairs carved roughly out of the white rock of Sootopolis, raising his soft green eyes to the woman offering him a hand.

Smiling, the boy shook his head. "No thank you, miss. B-but, um… Which way is the Pokemon Center?"

The woman, middle-aged with tan skin and dark hair, tilted her head in question. Her lips then rose into a gentle curve and she gestured off to the right. "Just around the corner, dear. Are you on vacation here with your family?"

Wally brushed off his clothes and some sweat from his face before shaking his head. "No, I'm a trainer."

"Oh! Are you!" Her eyebrows shot up and she laughed. _The natives of Sootopolis are so lively, _Wally thought absently, stifling a giggle. "That's great! They're starting young these days, then. Well, I'm sure you saw the Gym on the way into town then, honey. It's in the lake."

Blinking, Wally turned back towards the path he'd hiked up, taking in the sight of the bowl-shaped city, the massive rock walls surrounding it, and, following the woman's directions, a small round island sitting in the sky blue water with a single building on it. _Sootopolis Gym, _he thought as a warm breeze buffeted his hair. _The eighth badge! Here I come!_

"Thank you, miss!" Wally exclaimed, surprised at the power of his own voice. With a grin, the boy scurried off down the dusty path to the Pokemon Center.

* * *

Delcatty mewed, rubbing its face against its trainer's leg as Wally took a seat in the Pokemon Center lobby. _Even in an exotic place like Sootopolis, the interior is still the same,_ the boy noted as he observed the familiar pink and orange-accented décor. Absently, he ran one hand along the feline Pokemon's ears – the rest of his team was in care, as it was a long and tiring journey to the city full of difficult battles. _Hmmm…_ _Oh! That's right! I was going to…_

Fidgeting around in his pockets, Wally eventually found his Pokenav. He fumbled with the buttons a bit before finding May's name, and with an excited squeak, clicked send.

_Brrrr… Brrrr…_

_Brrr…Brrrrrr…_

Disappointment began to rise in the boy's chest as the phone continued to ring with no answer. _I wonder if she's battling? She hasn't called in a while either.. I-I wonder… D-does she not want to talk anymore…?_

_Click!_

_ Oh! _He straightened.

"…_Hello…?" _The sound was barely human, sounding more like the croak of a large wild Pokemon.

Mildly shocked, Wally ignored this and mustered a reply. "Hello, May? T-this is Wally!"

There was a long pause on the other end. Buzzing anxiety began to fill the boy's head as he gently switched the phone from one hand to another. "U-um…"

"_Wally_!" May finally replied, sounding much more like herself. _"I- sorry, I… Just got up. How are you?"_

The trainer relaxed, though a tentative glance at the clock was enough to summon up more questions. "Really? It's half past noon!"

Another long pause. Suddenly it dawned on Wally. _May's a teenage girl… This is pretty normal then, isn't it…? I never thought of it that way, but maybe she has been a late sleeper all the time…? _The concept was foreign to him, as for as long as he could remember Wally has been a morning person, always wanting to make the most of every hour of the day. "Sorry! Did I wake you up?"

"_No… It's fine!" _May laughed. _"It's really okay. Guess I had a later night than I thought! But you sound really well, Wally. Where are you, now? Maybe we could meet up and hang out."_

_ Wah! H-hang out!? _The boy fought a blush as he replied, "I-I just got to Sootopolis City."

Once again, there was quiet from the other end, thought it only lasted a few seconds before it was replaced by wild laughter. "_Really?! That's great, Wally! You're miles ahead of me, I'm in Lilycove! Hahaha!"_

"Huh?!" Wally gasped. More than a few other people in the Pokemon Center were casting curious glances at him, most likely due to how loud May had been. "Really?"

_"Yeah! Hahaha. I guess I need to speed things up! Look at me, falling behind like this!"_ Her humor seemed out of place, but there had never really been a strong rivalry between the two, just a mutual friendship. Most of their calls prior to this hadn't brushed on the topic of badges, despite how important the League was to each of them, and had focused more on their own Pokemon. But to hear that May was behind… It was a foreign idea to Wally, someone who had idolized the girl ever since he'd met her, and had inspired him to become stronger.

"W-well, it's probably just because I had such an easy time with the last two Gyms, Flying and Psychic… They must have been harder with your Blaziken, May…" He stuttered. _After all, there's no other way I could be ahead of her! _Wally thought to himself, blushing even more and almost feeling guilty.

"_I don't know, Wally," _May hummed. Another pause. "_Maybe you are just better than me! I guess I'll have to battle you the next time I see you and find out!"_

"Eeh? Really? No way, I'm not ready!"

The two laughed some more before Wally, confronted with more of the strange silence, changed the subject. "Have you been back home recently…? Around Petalburg?"

"_…Err… Umm… No," _May replied uneasily. "_Why do you ask?_"

"I-I… I'm just wondering… How my family is doing. I really… do get homesick sometimes."

The other end of the line was so quiet that Wally suspected his friend had hung up. Nonetheless he went on – it was a subject he could barely talk to others about. Except for his Pokemon, which would listen whether they could understand or not. "I didn't realize it until recently… but… I was always bothering them to stop worrying about my illness and to let me be a Pokemon Trainer… And now that I am, I realize they were only being protective because they cared about me and my health…"

Still, Wally was given silence. "Sorry…!" mustered the boy, standing up from the leather chair and loosening his shirt collar with one hand. "I got carried away. Maybe instead of speeding ahead to Sootopolis I should have gone back and seen them though…"

_"No, I understand, Wally. It's fine," _May finally responded in a quiet and somewhat somber tone. _"I still have a lot of trouble understanding why my father kept me from Pokemon for so long. But… I see what you mean… In the end, I think it's all part of growing up. For us, and for my father – or in your case, your family. We're never going to become mature and responsible enough to go on an adventure, train Pokemon, and collect badges if we're never given the chance to, right? It's just… it's something we have to go out and do. No matter how hard it is for them."_

Wally blinked, his gaze traveling to Delcatty, which had taken a seat on top of a glass coffee table. He was so close with the Pokemon, had trained it so much, that it was hard to realize that not too long ago he was the boy borrowing a Zigzagoon from Leader Norman and timidly following May out into tall grass. "Wow, May." He couldn't help but smile. "You sure are smart!"

There was an embarrassed huff from the other end. "_Don't give me that, Wally, you're the wise one! Anyways, I guess my only choice right now is really to cross the sea to Mossdeep City. I'm still going to battle you the next time we meet, though!"_

Wally yelped once again. "No way, May! Really!"

* * *

"Lombre…"

I eyed the amphibious Pokemon apprehensively. It peered back up from beneath its lilypad, tilting its head in question.

"I… I don't know if you're gonna cut it. I don't want to make you swim if it's going to hurt you…"

It was 1 in the afternoon, a late start I knew I'd be getting the night before. But the talk with Wally had been motivating. _And it's not like I have any other choice either, _I frowned, remembering Matt's words. _I have no idea where Archie is… Until I get a clue, I should just head to the next town._

Another warm wave washed over my feet and Lombre flinched noticeably. I let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Lombre. It's not your fault. Maybe there's a boat that goes to Mossdeep…"

The Pokemon resigned, waddling out of the water and instead playing with the wet sand.

_Hmm… Oh!_ "Right!" I slapped myself in the face, grinning. "How could I forget?"

Fishing out a ball from my bag, I released the newest member to our group.

"Sharpedo!"

The Pokemon materialized further out from the shore, peering up from the waves at me curiously. I beckoned it over and skimmed the Pokedex entry for Sharpedo once more. _It must already know Surf. This is great!_ "Sharpedo, can you carry me across the ocean?"

The water barely rippled as it approached me, getting as close as possible without beaching itself. Its body was blurry beneath the murky waves, but upon closer observation… _It's awfully small…_ _How am I supposed to ride this thing…?_

* * *

**A few minutes later**

The sun beat down on my skin as I padded back up to my spot on Lilycove's beach, once again letting out Sharpedo from its ball. This time, I was prepared, having ran into the department store and bought the first swimsuit I saw – a dark blue one-piece with frills at the bottom and white accents.

"Look, Sharpedo! I look like you, now," I said, cracking a grin. "Now…"

Carefully, I approached the Pokemon as it made slow circles in the shallows, in perfect control despite the waves rolling through. The water was warm, but refreshing, and I recoiled at the gooey feeling of seaweed beneath my feet. Once I was out deep enough, so the surface reached my shoulders, I stopped, trying to steady myself in the constant rolling and turning of the sea. _Suddenly I'm getting second thoughts…_

Sharpedo's fin came circling past me once more and with one shaky arm I reached out, grabbing a hold of it. There was a slight tug as the Pokemon got used to my weight and I got used to the rough texture of the fin, and then we were moving leisurely through the water together.

"Hey, whoa! This isn't so bad, Sharpe-"

There was a splash, followed by the soft hum of the sea as a wave blindsided me, submerging the rest of my body. Immediately panic seized me and I felt my muscles lock up as bad memories, of a different Sharpedo but the same sensation of panic and inability to fight the current, flashed through my mind. The fin slipped from my hand and, coming back to reality, I swam up towards the surface.

"Hhuhg…" I struggled in an attempt to tread water and rub out my eyes at the same time. "N-not fun…"

Something rough bumped at my left leg and I jerked back in surprise. "What-" Turning, I spotted Sharpedo's fin once more and relaxed. It peeked up at me with one luminous red eye, and made a gentle snorting noise.

"I'm sorry, Sharpedo. It might take me a while to get used to this…"

* * *

After another session of struggling to surf, and flip-flopping between the style of riding atop the Pokemon – something that'd seriously scratch up your thighs – or grabbing its fin with both hands and letting it drag me, I decided on the latter, gathered up my belongings, and headed off across the sea. The Dark-type was a fast swimmer – as its Pokedex entry boasted – and in no time we were speeding across the surface of Hoenn's turquoise ocean. Pelipper followed us from the sky, my yellow bag strapped around its body.

Stops were frequent, and luckily the sea between Lilycove and Mossdeep had plenty of shallow sandbars and islets speckling it. Some breaks were made to make sure I was still heading east, others for eating and letting out my Pokemon to stretch.

We were halfway to the city when the sun had begun to dip into the ocean. The peaks and crests of waves were littered with flecks of vermilion. They gathered at the horizon and then smoothed out into the softer, paler orange hues of the sky.

I sighed, sprawling out into the sand on one of said islets. Even with the waning sunlight it was hot, and easy on my back, which was more sore than it had ever been. "Hoenn's ocean is so nice," I noted to no one in particular. "Nothing like Johto's. Boy, was I wrong about this place…" Another gentle gust of wind blew in from the water and across my face, doing nothing to dry my frizzy, soaking wet hair. "Ah, it's a paradise."

Pelipper landed nearby, folding up its wings and tucking its feet beneath its body. Absently, I rolled onto my side to watch it, barely aware of the layer of sand that was sticking to my back. The Flying-type let out a soft coo, enjoying the rest.

Inland, there was a wooded area, not dense enough to hide anything but thick enough and far enough from the sea that it would make a safe place to camp overnight without worrying about tides. I bounded up to an open spot among the trees, the springy, dry grass poking up in between my toes, and with a grin called over my Pokemon.

We set up camp, had a fulfilling dessert of packaged cookies from the Lilycove department store, and for once I dozed right off to sleep.

* * *

Night had set on Mossdeep City and Steven, finding himself rather restless, was wandering about the town center, his eyes flicking to each passing trainer with mild interest. One hand was shoved into his jacket pocket, fidgeting with the Pokenav, while the other hung at his side, his thumb pressing and rotating the two steel rings around and around.

The city was quiet. So, so quiet. Even with the relaxing ambiance of rustling grass and cicadas drifting through the windows of his house he had not found peace and was not able to brush off the deep-rooted anxiety that'd been growing in his chest. The trainer wasn't used to being cooped up on the island like this, with how often he'd been traveling recently. _Maybe I'll take out Skarmory and go for a fly, _he thought with a frown, before realizing that his party of Pokemon had been left sitting on his desk at home.

With a sigh Steven brought himself from his daze, only to find that he was standing in front of the brightly-lit Pokemon Gym. In a mundane place like Mossdeep, the building was rather outstanding, both in its impressive modern architecture and the fact that it held intense battles fitting of Hoenn's seventh Gym Leaders. A warm tinge of nostalgia filled the trainer's chest as he remembered his own experiences here. It seemed like just yesterday that he'd claimed the Champion title, but looking back now, it was far more than a few months ago. He was very much the same person, curious and adventurous, skilled in battle, but also had recently taken on the attributes of someone distant, stressed, and imprisoned by responsibility. Steven frowned, pushing the thoughts away.

"Oh, Steven!"

"You're visiting again?"

The trainer turned to his left, drawing his hand from his pocket. The familiar voices belonged to the two child Gym Leaders, Tate and Liza. The twins, dressed in their usual loose blue robes, approached him, feet scuffing against the path.

"Yes," he replied, mustering a smile. "Or, I suppose my feet just led me here. It's very nice weather for a walk."

The two of them tilted their heads. "You seem troubled, Mr. Steven," Liza said, the worried edge to her voice noticeable.

"More than usual," Tate remarked.

Steven felt his eyebrow twitch. Was he that transparent? Then again, the pair of Leaders had always been unnaturally good at reading people. Trying to word it in a way the children would understand, he replied, "I have a lot on my mind, so I'm trying to clear my thoughts." Glancing back at the glowing building, he added, "Have you had any strong challengers recently?"

The twins looked at each other, their eyes sparkling, and then grinned widely. "Not yet," Liza began.

"But we have the feeling we'll be seeing someone strong here, soon," finished her brother.

Steven considered their words with a hum, crossing his arms.

Liza, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, looked up at him curiously. "Are you waiting for someone too, Mr. Steven?"

"You really want a good battle, huh? The Champion position is boring?" Tate continued with the slightest of smirks.

The silver-haired trainer glanced down at the twins, his foot tapping against the cobblestone path. "Maybe."

As if they were proud of their accurate reading, the two twins beamed at each other. "Well, we'll let you know…"

"…When someone comes…"

"…Then you can come watch the battle, if you'd like."

With that, the two skipped past him, hand in hand, and reentered their Gym. Steven scoffed, floated around Mossdeep for a few more minutes, and then started back to his house.

* * *

_No._

_NO!_

Blue and black was churning around and around, making a horrible echoing noise. It had the consistency of thick paint, and the rancid smell, too. A whirlpool of something barely passing for water, without a single speck of light in sight. I felt a tug at my foot that rapidly escalated to my whole body being pulled deeper and deeper towards the center of the mess, the pressure around me rising, being forced to take in breaths only to taste bitter and somewhat metallic saltwater-

"…!"

The sensation came to a sudden stop, replaced with the familiar tropical imagery of the island we had chosen to rest on. The rapid shift in my senses was overwhelming, like I'd run directly into a brick wall. Groaning, I half walked, half crawled over to the shoreline nearby, slumping over and splashing my face. The salty water left a dull stinging in my eyes and mouth.

It was a dream_. It was a dream._

I stared into the water until my eyes recovered, observing how the surface distorted my hands. The shallows were still enough that I could make out my own ragged reflection looking back at me with dry, tangled hair and two shining, red-ringed eyes.

Morning. It was no longer unfamiliar to be greeted with a cruddy morning like this.

I maneuvered backwards, sitting cross-legged in the sand and resting my hands on my knees. The ocean was so serene, barely lapping at the shore, just a misty, soft blur on the gray horizon. If this wasn't the most serene spot to camp out in Hoenn, I'd be shocked. _So why…? Why am I having these nightmares?_ _What, is it childhood trauma or something?_ One droplet of water on my face was particularly warm as it moved down towards my chin and I scoffed, wiping it away. _What am I doing, crying? It's just a dream._

* * *

Despite the fact that a wispy layer of clouds had rolled in overnight, skimming across the Hoenn sea was still as renewing as ever. Pelipper once again took to the skies while Sharpedo cut through the waves, and I even was able to get in a few Pokemon battles. Not only was the Sharpedo a great way to get to Hoenn's oceanic settlements, but it was a powerful fighter. I silently reminded myself to ask the nurse at Mossdeep if anyone had a missing Pokemon; the Lilycove nurse had come up with next to nothing by the means of a Sharpedo (though there were plenty of other missing Pokemon - as expected of the city housing Team Aqua's base.)

Mossdeep quickly went from being a dull blur on the horizon to a massive plateau, surrounded by shallows, shimmering sand dunes, and choppy cliffs. Sharpedo stopped as close as possible to said shallows, curving back around in a circle. I rolled away from it, climbing onto the land and recalling the Pokemon. "Thank you." _When I restock on Pokemon food, you're gonna feast, Sharpedo._

With a wide smile and a reassuring nod to myself, I surveyed the formation that rose up above me. The maroon cliffs seemed to surround the island itself, serving as a natural barrier to the shoreline that was currently slinking back into the deeps. The beach off to my left was dotted with a few fishermen, their poles shoved lazily into the sand. Some of them were dozing, while others were holding newspapers and chatting, fanning themselves with their big red and white hats.

I padded towards what seemed to be a pathway leading into the city, Pelipper following suite with a chirp.

Reaching the crest of the hill – or, the island, rather – I was given a full view of Mossdeep. The island stretched far out in every which way, green, grassy hills accented with rusty rock cliffs. Aside from a bustling area not too far ahead, the rest of the city was suburban, dotted with shanty, rustic houses with footpaths connecting one another rather than roads. Past all of this, on the northern end of town, were the familiar silhouettes of sailboat masts and barges – a harbor – and off to the east, a bizarre, tower-like structure jutted up into the sky, casting a large portion of the city in shadow. In contrast to all this, the western coastline of the town was near barren, with only a few houses nestled among the hills and trees.

With everything in sight, it appeared to be a city that hid nothing from you – much unlike Lilycove with its abundance of winding roads and dark alleys, or Lavaridge with the many tucked-away houses and caves. But at the same time the city carried a more developed atmosphere than Dewford.

_Well, the most important thing is, of course…_ I thought, lips climbing into a smirk, _where's the Gym?_

* * *

"Hmm…"

The sun poked out from behind the clouds, shining in through the window onto Steven's hand, which was currently grasping an unidentified rock. Below his other hand was a leather notepad full of smudges. Both were resting on an antique mahogany desk, imported by his father from Arceus knows where. Steven's tired gaze moved from the patch of sun to the window, and then to the sky. Even when indulging in one of his favorite hobbies, time somehow felt like it was crawling by, and the man had a strange sensation that he should be elsewhere.

"I guess…" he thought aloud, standing up and setting the specimen aside, "I should stop by the Gym again… I'd like to catch May while she's in town…" _but I'm sure calling again would only be a bother._

Pulling on his suit jacket, the trainer rested his eyes on the familiar set of Pokeballs lying on his desk. Pausing, Steven hummed to himself and took them before heading out the door.

The wooded dirt path from his house, which was isolated from the rest of Mossdeep (preferential for someone like Steven), took a few minutes to travel down and soon he found himself standing once again in the bustling streets of downtown Mossdeep. Taking a deep breath, he stepped onto the road and began to wander, hoping that among the variety of passersby he'd spot May. But as time passed and the trainer made his way around the Gym and up towards the eastern end of town, all he'd spotted were the usual fishermen, nondescript trainers, and scientists dressed for work up at the space station.

As the heat of the day was beginning to skyrocket Steven retreated up an untamed, weed-infested hill and sat down, staring across the city and to the sea beyond, face tense and focused. Behind him was the Space Center, a series of laboratories and factories all well separated from the rest of the city and surrounded by overgrown fields, and also somewhere he'd visited a number of times before due to both curiosity, Devon business, and for his own knowledge of geology. Steven turned to look up at the massive main building once more, bangs flying into his eyes, only to find someone walking towards him.

"Steven Stone! Is that you?!" The man was clearly out of breath, and as he reached Steven's spot on the hill he pulled off his glasses and ran the sleeve of his white lab coat along his forehead. "Thank goodness. Have you caught wind of the situation yet?"

The trainer stood, brushing off his clothes. "Situation…?"

Adjusting his glasses once more, the scientist stuttered, "Y-yes, it's Team Magma…! They've rushed the place… Released notices…"

_Notices…? _He thought back to his walk around the city. Plenty of street corners had been filled with leaflets about plenty of things, but… _Now that I think of it, the Magma insignia… Did I see it there…? Was I too focused on looking for May?_ "What's happened? They're at the Space Center?"

The distraught man finally caught his breath and nodded. "Yes. They… want to take all of our rocket fuel! We have no idea where they came from – suddenly some old, unmarked, beat-up sub surfaced in the harbor, and…"

Placing a reassuring hand on the man's quivering shoulder, Steven nodded towards the Space Center. "I'll go take a look."

* * *

"Whoooaaa-aaaaaaaah!"

The floor zipped forwards beneath my feet and I fell flat on my butt. _Who designed this Gym?! A kid?! _The entire building was riddled with speedy, automated walkways, and in order to progress one had to change their directions at the correct place and time, all the while battling fierce Psychic-type trainers that offered very little advice post-battle. It was one big puzzle. And puzzles were _not_ my forte.

I braced myself as the pathway turned another 90 degrees to the left, tossing me into the wall with a hard _thud! _and then shooting me off in a different direction. _Uhg, I think I'm gonna be sick…!_ With a few more random twists and one instance of almost falling over a ledge, the walkway came to a stop and I pulled myself to my feet.

Somewhere in the twists and turns, I'd moved uphill, because now I was faced with a huge battlefield, lifted high above the rest of the Gym. The deep red walls had turned to violet, with small, neon green lights lining the ceiling.

I squinted, placing one hand over my eyes. "Where are the Gym Leaders…?" _Wait a sec… _On the other side of the stadium… _No, they're two short… and there's two of them-_

Suddenly the two silhouettes turned around simultaneously, a bright white spotlight beaming down on them from above. My eyebrows shot up. They were practically identical, both in the baggy robes they wore and the bun hairstyle. Not to mention their small, round faces contained the same exact innocent smile. _But… _My gaze moved to their hands. Each was clutching a ball; one in the left, the other in the right. _No way… they really are…? Gym Leaders…?_

"Hehe…"

"Hehehehe!"

_Eh? _I blinked. _C-creepy!_

"You look surprised!" The two were speaking at the same time, their voices practically the same pitch, faces alive with a knowing and mischievous glint. "Surprised that there's two of us? Or surprised that we're twins?"

I scratched my head, unable to hide my own confusion. "Both, I guess..."

They giggled some more, both bringing their free hands up in a peace sign. "Tate and Liza, Liza and Tate –we're the twin Gym Leaders!" At this point they split up, the one with slightly shorter hair stepping forwards. "We don't even need to speak to each other…"

Just barely before the boy could finish the sentence, the sister, identifiable only by her bubbly tone and longer, black locks of hair bordering her face, finished, "…because both of us can tell…"

"…What the other is thinking, feeling, and experiencing…" Tate spoke again.

"…All through our minds!"

"All in with our thoughts!"

_This is definitely strange... it is the seventh Gym, though... _I allowed myself to fall into the focused, serious mindset I'd adapted for Pokemon battling and readied two Pokeballs. _Looks like I'll have to be careful in this match. No messing around…_

"Do you really think, challenger…"

"You can beat this combination?"

With that, their Pokeball-holding arms swung out in an arc and two Pokemon materialized on either side of the stadium – one in a moon shape, one in a sun shape. _Solrock and Lunatone, _I recalled Pokedex entry I'd first examined in Meteor Falls. _If I tried to burn my way through with Blaziken, I'd get blown outta here in a minute, so…_

Clearing my mind, I tossed out two balls from either hand and they exploded in the air, revealing Mightyena, scraping and kneading at the ground, and the sharp form of Sharpedo, looking out of place in the indoor environment.

Tate and Liza observed with their deep eyes but did not say anything – out loud, at least. I gulped and then ordered the first attacks - a Crunch from both Mightyena and Sharpedo.

As the Pokemon zoomed forwards the twins turned their heads to one another, exchanging silent words, and then made their move. "Hypnosis!" "Sunny Day!"

I bit my lip as the sleep-inducing attack hit Sharpedo, causing it to flop onto the ground and enter a deep slumber, while Mightyena's attack hit the defenseless Lunatone head-on, causing both of them to tumble back towards the ledge. Far above us, through what seemed to be tinted windows, the sun began to show through, heating up the room's temperature.

_Sunny Day… _The lack of an offensive attack could have been because Psychic-type moves had no effect on either of my Pokemon, or because the twins were concocting a whole different plan. But their blank expressions withheld any secrets from me, so I stayed focused on the battle. "Mightyena, use Crunch again on Lunatone! Lower its defense!"

Mightyena, after nudging worriedly at its comrade, launched itself at the recovering Lunatone once more. The attack did little more damage than the first attempt, but the Rock-type was visibly getting worn down. _If I can just make this a 1-versus-2 battle, I should have the clear advantage…_

"Lunatone, Hypnosis again!"

"Mightyena, get out of the way!" I barely reacted in time, as did the canine Pokemon, flinging its body away from Lunatone as its eyes began to glow and emit a pulsating light. _That's dangerous… If both of my Pokemon were to fall asleep…_

"Solrock, Solar Beam!"

_What?!_

In seconds a blinding burst of light exploded in front of the misshapen Pokemon, ramming into Sharpedo's slumbering form and sending it skidding back towards me. _Solar Beam!? No!_

Despite taking the very worst of the sun-powered blast, Sharpedo did not wake, its eyes dark and its body rising and falling very slowly. I grinded my teeth and looked to Mightyena for hope. _I'm gonna need a new plan…_

Tate and Liza's gazes had focused on me again, glinting, almost like they were taunting me telepathically. Lunatone and Solrock both hovered in front of their masters, faces emotionless aside from their shiny, red and black eyes that, like their trainers, were focused on me. I fought back a shiver. _But they can't be totally unbeatable, _I thought, sniffing. _They're still Pokemon. _"Mightyena, use Swagger!"

The move we'd practiced dozens of time was put into play, with the trigger-happy Solrock spiraling into a confusion. _Defensive strategy… defensive strategy! _Sharpedo would still be out for a turn or two. Lunatone was almost out of commission…

"Lunatone, get in close and Hypnosis again!" Tate called out. Liza was still quiet, eyes trained on Solrock. The connection the two had with their Pokemon was obvious, and a little intimidating.

Mightyena, still distracted with Solrock, wasn't able to dodge, either.

As it fell to the ground in a heap of black fur, the twin's voices, in unison once more, echoed through the Gym. "What now, challenger? What will you do now that both of your Pokemon are asleep?"

I swallowed, pausing for a long time, and in this hesitation Liza called out another attack with enthusiasm. "Solrock, Solar Beam again!"

The words hit me like a train but Solrock, despite charging the attack, cried out in response and began spinning in circles. The energy dissipated and Sharpedo remained unharmed, eliciting a breath of relief from me. _I can't hold out like this for much longer. Sharpedo…! I know you're new, but I need you to believe in me! _"Wake up and use Surf, Sharpedo!"

Miraculously, the Pokemon heard me, and the faint scarlet glow returned to its eyes. At once the Pokemon summoned up a tiny, azure sphere of energy that exploded, cascading throughout the stadium and off of the edges. A sneer crawled onto my face as both Solrock and Lunatone recoiled, with their trainers beyond them snapping out of their sync to gawk at the water and tug off their wet shoes. Yet despite the damage done, and how Sharpedo was revitalized, Surf had damaged the sleeping Mightyena and was also quickly negated by the effect of Sunny Day. What made things even worse was the fact that Solrock's dazed state had faded and its narrowed orbs were once again focused upon me. A shiver ran up my spine. It seemed angrier.

"Lunatone," Tate finally spoke up, his voice sounding strained, "Light Screen!"

"Solrock! Use Flamethrower, then Solar Beam!" Liza called, and before I could question the tactic hot, red fire blew out from in front of the Pokemon, searing the ground around Sharpedo and covering its rugged form in flames. In the mess of steam and heat this created, light began to gather around the Pokemon's body. _Another Solar Beam._ _But if it's taking a turn to charge, that means… Sunny Day's effects subsided._ Meanwhile a reflective wall flittered to light around the two Rock-types, distorting the smoke brought on by Flamethrower.

With my gaze on Mightyena I called for Surf again, and water drenched the arena once more, though failing to interrupt Solrock's focused attack. Lunatone, meanwhile, used its Psychic power to divert the wave away from itself. _They're learning… _ But the purpose of the attack, this time – it had been for _my _Pokemon. Mightyena, now drenched by not one but two tidal waves, was hacking and panting, its fur quivering in agitation. It shot Sharpedo a death glare.

_Good!_

"Quickly, Mightyena! While Lunatone is recovering from Psychic, hit it with one more Crunch!"

Snarling, the Dark-type rammed into its foe, latching onto the tip of Lunatone with its empowered teeth and tossing it roughly towards its trainers. A number of dents were visible in the Pokemon's already uneven body, and Mightyena, turning its head to the side, spat out a few chunks of the rock. At the same time, Solrock released its energy and another blinding saffron beam knocked out Sharpedo completely. With a light sigh I withdrew the Dark-type into its glittering, black Luxury Ball and set the final steps of my plan into action.

"…Lunatone, return," Tate's voice, sounding less childish and more somber now, barely made an echo across the violet walls. He nodded at Liza, the two once again exchanging silent words between each other.

I held back a smirk but, upon realizing that the psychic duo could probably read the satisfaction from my mind anyway, allowed the ends of my lips to curve upwards. Bowing my head, I gave Liza the first move.

"Flamethrower!" the dark-haired girl ordered, taking the offensive once more, and the column of fire blew out across the room, illuminating the steel flooring of the arena. Mightyena took the attack, howling in pain and sustaining a burn.

"Strike back with Torment, Mightyena!"

"What!?" came the yelp from the opposite end of the arena. "T-torment! We didn't predict this…!"

_Of course, _I thought. _Mightyena only learns it with a TM. You expected me to try and wear you down with Crunch like I did with Lunatone… Looks like your mind reading needs some work…!_

"S-Solrock! U-use Solar Beam!" Liza stuttered, her brother sharing the look of shock.

The Pokemon began to take in sunlight – the few UV rays that actually reached into the dimly-lit Gym – but was left completely vulnerable to Mightyena's next Crunch, hitting critically and sending it spinning back towards Liza. Even as the beam of light was launched, the Dark-type was swift enough to roll out of the way and send itself hurtling forwards again, tackling Solrock to the ground with a Take Down and finishing the job with one final Crunch just as Liza ordered Flamethrower again.

The few embers that had been summoned up dissipated as Solrock's pupils rolled back into its head and Mightyena backed off, shaking out its singed fur and giving its tail a few licks.

"Whaaat?!" Liza cried out, breaking her stoic persona at last and running up to the fallen Pokemon.

"You broke our synchronization… Our perfect combination…" Tate muttered, tucking his own Pokeball under the folds of his tunic and nodding at Liza, who in resignation withdrew Solrock.

"It can't be helped, can it, brother?"

"No… The challenger beat us, sister." I looked down at the two after recalling Mightyena, raising my eyebrows at the glimmering trinket that Tate was holding up. It was pink, in the shape of a heart, connected at the bottom but visibly separated into two near the top. _Somehow, the shape… Resembles the twin's bond with each other,_ I noted, looking over the seemingly innocent children once again and accepting the badge, as well as the TM his sister had offered.

Liza began smiling brightly as Tate spoke. "As a Double Battle Gym, we have to have the strongest bond between each other in order to challenge trainers…"

"…But when we lose, it's always because the bond between a challenger and their Pokemon is even more powerful than ours."

I lit up, gripping Sharpedo's Pokeball in my hand. "Thank you. I feel like I've learned a lot while battling you two. You're a lot wiser than I thought."

They giggled. It was strange to see them out of synch like this, but also heartwarming – not only did the twins share a sturdy bond between their minds, but in their hearts, as well. "The future we see for you, challenger," Tate added, a glint in his eyes, "is one where you make even more strong bonds and deep connections."

"Even if the challenge ahead of you proves to be harsh and daunting…" Liza's cheerful tone had once again dropped into monotony, "Even if it seems like it's too much for you and your Pokemon…"

"Don't be afraid!" The two were speaking in sync again. Their faces had hardened noticeably, eyebrows furrowed together. "You won't be alone. You realize it already. You have your Pokemon. So, May, face these challenges head on as you always have - with confidence!"

* * *

**A/N: **On that topic how do you pronounce Liza…? I've always seen it like "Lisa" but recently in a video I heard "Ly-za" and realized, ohhhh. That makes more sense. Like Eliza. Idk


	36. Desperation

**Chapter 36 – Desperation**

"Sir! The mission is going as planned."

Maxie didn't immediately turn to address his subordinate, instead holding his place at the window for a few more seconds. His narrow eyes scanned the fields before the Space Center and the bustling town below. The yellow-green grass was melting into different shades as the sky above cleared. The shadow of the enormous building grew with each passing minute, the sun beginning to sink into the sea somewhere off to the west, enveloping the island. His face creased and he spun on his heel to drill the grunt with a scrutinizing look.

"Good. Continue the work. Have someone guard the stairwells – tell him I want absolutely no outsiders reaching the upper floors." The man's voice was curt but fiery, holding back some level of emotion.

"Yes, sir!" The grunt, a young man not quite at the point of maturity, saluted and stormed back off across the room. The control center of the Space Center was cluttered with desks, computers, and advanced equipment – luckily the personnel had all been removed earlier on. _No more intrusions._

"Are we expecting someone, sir…?" came the question Maxie did not want to answer. Tabitha drifted up to his boss's corner of the room, leaning casually against the windowsill and raising an eyebrow.

The man huffed, less at the curious admin and more at the idea that someone _would _dare to interrupt him. Tabitha's question was further justified by the fact that the one plausible bump in their plan – May – was still fooled into believing Team Magma was working solely to stop Team Aqua. "We shouldn't be," he mustered, temporarily moving his arms from the folded position behind his stiff trench coat and resting them at his side, "but one can never be too sure. That was Archie's mistake – it will not be mine."

"A'ight then, sir," responded the lanky admin, sniffing and fiddling with a Pokeball.

_That's right…_ Maxie's head was alit with thoughts as he retook his spot overlooking Mossdeep. _I will succeed where Archie failed, even if the initial plot with Groudon did not go as planned. _Team Magma_ will succeed… We will bring this world forward…_

The tips of his mouth curved up into a smile as he drifted into a daze, eyes glued to the horizon.

* * *

I allowed a light giggle as I left the Pokemon Center. _Seven badges. Who would've thought…?_ Even though my journey had been speckled with negativity here and there – pain, sorrow, fear, anguish, fury – it was also laced with joy. Each of the glimmering trinkets were evidence of this, as just seeing the symbol of a badge brought back good memories. _The memory for the Mind Badge…_ I pondered over this for a moment, tracing the smooth edge of the object with one finger, _maybe, finding Sharpedo? What a stroke of luck that was…_

"You could become the Pokemon League Champion one day, if you keep training."

The words again came back to me. I had tried to avoid thoughts about Steven because of how much they seemed to clog up my head, but I allowed the memory to permeate in my mind this time. It seemed like ages ago. The dark, soggy, salt-scented cave, catching Aron (that was now an experienced Lairon), and of course meeting Steven Stone. Then he had seemed so unfamiliar and distant, like he and I were living in different worlds, but nowadays that seemed far from the case. In the few visits we'd had since then the distance had surely not closed – I still had a plethora of questions fogging my mind about him, ones that became more prelavent every time we spoke – but he had certainly warmed up some. _Maybe… _I fumbled with the thought, leaning against the wall of the Pokemon Center. _Maybe I should've asked for help from him more often, and earlier. He did say he was in the same situation. And he's probably the only other person in the damn region that knows what Team Aqua is really doing…_

I pushed the thought away and again glanced into my badge case that was seven-eighths of the way full with the colorful metallic objects. Laughter bubbled up in my chest again.

I had biked over to the Pokemon Center as fast as possible to give my team a quick recovery – I needed plenty of time to explore the island that seemed to be a blooming paradise in the middle of the empty expanse of the ocean. _But, now that I'm here…_ I thought, handing some change to the dozing cashier at the Pokemart counter and taking my hefty bag of new supplies, _I really don't know what to do. That one boy mentioned Wailmer watching… Maybe I could do that…?_ Wailmer watching… _Blaziken really wouldn't like that. Hehe._

I rounded a few more corners of the town, just enjoying the feeling of the cool sea breeze on my skin. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks was audible even this far inland, and mixed with the twittering of birds and the rustling of the wild grass, it relaxed my nerves. _This reminds me of Olivine City._

With a smile I dug through my bag, looking for Pelipper's ball, and, remembering I'd switched it out for Shelgon at the Pokemon Center, instead released the Dragon-type. The awkward, spherical Pokemon landed on the ground with a thud and tilted its head – or, rather, its entire body – at me before wandering ahead on the streets, nearly tripping a few pedestrians.

Another easy laugh escaped me as I watched the Pokemon, but the motion immediately died down as a poster in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I paced across the street, weaved between a few kids and approached the brick backside of an apartment complex, moving until I was face-to-face with an insignia I now knew very well to be that of Team Magma's.

Uneasiness swelled in my stomach as I skimmed the disclaimer below it, written in thin, fine script, dark against the bright red background of the pamphlet. It only took a few key phrases – "rocket fuel", "Space Station", and "Glory to Team Magma, Expanding the Landmass and Ushering In a New Future", to put me on guard, and the word "forcibly occupying and claiming" – stealing, rather – was all that it took for alarms to begin blaring in my head.

My gloves groaned in protest as my fists clenched on their own. _Maxie._

* * *

Steven tucked his Pokenav into a pocket as the third of a trio of Magma grunts closed in on him. _The call was from Tate and Liza… Then they were right… May is on Mossdeep._ There was nothing he could have done to answer the call at that time – as soon as he'd stepped foot on the first floor of the Space Center, grunts had come rushing towards him – nevermind actually go to the Gym to watch the match. _Another time. _But the thought that she was here put his mind at rest for the time being. _After I clean up here, I'll speak with May…_ His grip on Metang's Pokeball tightened and the trainer began calling out attacks.

The grunts on this floor were stronger than those on the lower levels and appeared to be much more oriented to battling than they were to handing equipment, working with the Space Center technology, or actually doing the dirty work of _stealing _the rocket fuel. Steven almost rolled his eyes at the thought. _What will this accomplish? What are they planning to do? Dump it in the sea and further pollute the world?_

But his Pokemon were beginning to get worn down, and Steven cursed himself for not grabbing more than four Pokeballs from his desk as he closed in on a thick cluster of grunts near the far side of the room. Even with a team that had achieved the Champion title, there was only so much you could do when dealing with a steady stream of foes on your own like this.

Hot orange light poured in from one of the long, glass windows on the side of the room, seemingly dying the chairs and tables and papers goldenrod and casting long shadows of both Steven's sharply-dressed form and the grotesque, horned grunts further across the tile. The last one's Pokemon fell and the pack of Magma members began to cast unsure glances back behind them from beneath their heavy hoods.

"Disperse, at once. Have your Pokemon replenished on the lower levels."

_That voice…_ Steven tensed.

The group of grunts – maybe a dozen of them – thinned out into a single file line and retreated down the stairway behind him. Only a few were left lining either side of the huge control room, casting sinister glares towards Steven, but they did not move to attack.

Recalling his Pokemon, Steven faced Maxie, his eyes an unusually fiery mix of gray and teal. The leader moved away from the window, folding his hands behind him and straightening his back. His jaw was squared, his hair smoothed perfectly with not a single stray strand. Steven ignored the intimidation, standing his ground, also wary of the hooded man leaning against the wall just a few feet behind Maxie with a feral smirk on his face.

The leader was not unlike his ocean-loving counterpart in this way. Even if Archie had a less sophisticated aura to him, both could plant a seed of fear even in the chest of the League Champion should they get serious. To add to this was the fact that Maxie stood at least a head above Steven – one who, despite being of only slightly-above average height, was usually able to look down on others, whether it was physically or metaphorically. But facing Aqua and Magma, his status as the Devon heir or as a well-educated, self-proclaimed geologist hardly mattered. Even Steven's Champion title was barely significant when put next to Archie or Maxie, a bunch of criminal gang leaders. Maxie was able to look down on Steven – literally – and make it seem as though his credentials, his skill as a trainer meant nothing, that struggling against Team Magma was useless, that it was inevitable that the group's goals would be reached and that Steven and Devon could do nothing about it.

Steven had encountered Maxie once before, back when Devon was first having problems with the groups. He had thought the uneasiness and fear would be gone after all this time – _after all, May seemed to have somehow befriended him – _but the feelings remained and Steven had to fight to keep his cool and composed persona.

"Team Magma… You can't be allowed to occupy the Space Center like this and steal rocket fuel for your own purposes." His tone lowered. "I won't tolerate your meddling anymore."

"Continuing your futile struggle against Team Magma once more?" began Maxie, his tone already cold. "I assumed you had learned your lesson, Steven Stone, but after hearing what happened on Southern Island it became apparent to me that you had not."

The glare of the setting sun caught on Maxie's red hair, seemingly setting it ablaze. He frowned at Steven's lack of response, the motion bringing more creases to his pale complexion. "Surely you understand that Team Aqua is the bigger threat here. _They _stole the Devon Goods, not us. _They _attempted to shut down Mt. Chimney, not us. So why are you here, boy? Shouldn't you be in Rustboro, scrambling to protect your father's company?"

Steven remained still, lips pursed shut.

Maxie began to pace, picking up a few research papers from a nearby desk and skimming through them before setting them back down. "Although I'm sure you have us figured out. That we're letting Archie do the work for us. Taking the infamy for us… Figuring out the keys to the legendary power for us."

_What?_ Steven inhaled, shoulders tensing. "Keys? What keys?"

"Tabitha," the leader called, turning his back to the trainer. "If you will, help me dispose of this fool. The operation will only take a few more minutes and then the fuel will be ready for transfer. I don't want any more disruptions…"

Frustration bubbled within Steven and he spoke up again. "Answer me! And- what's the point of taking this much rocket fuel?"

The man against the wall – yes, Steven realized, he was familiar from past run-ins with the group – straightened, arms still crossed, and sauntered over to his boss. "'Course, sir." He continued towards Steven, causing the latter to take a few cautious steps back. "Won't take much to knock out a scrawny kid like this. I don't even need a Pokemon."

Maxie raised an eyebrow but said nothing as Tabitha brought one loosely-clamped fist around his torso and lashed forwards in a blur of red.

Before Steven could even fully process the admin's words he heard a sickening thud somewhere on the side of his head followed by a sharp, throbbing pain and he stumbled backwards against a table. The Pokeball in his hand clattered to the ground as he brought one hand up to his jaw in a late defense. There was a yell off to his left, a familiar one, and just as the trainer peeled open his eyes there was another flash of red followed by an elbow jab to his gut.

He sunk to the ground, mind in a flurry, unable to decide if he should defend himself, grab the fallen Pokeball and release it, or just brace himself for another unprecedented hit from the brutish admin, but he was too disoriented by the wave of dizziness in his head and sickening mix of pain and nausea he was swimming in to take any of the actions.

In this time there was more movement nearby and Steven recovered, the shock fading to anger. He grabbed the Pokeball, got to his feet, and…

…_May?_

The sight ahead of him was baffling and he at first mistook it for something caused by the dizziness in his head. But it was also enough to distract from that. Tabitha was on the ground, cursing, and a Team Magma grunt with a hairstyle instantly recognizable as that of the female trainer was standing over him, back turned to Steven.

"Maxie! What the hell is the meaning of this?"

The girl's tone took Steven off guard, and across the room Maxie's eyes caught on the girl, narrowing. Tabitha, too, paused from his groaning and raised an eyebrow.

"May," replied Maxie with a tone that was not quite level; the quiver in it revealed his fury, at both his grunts for allowing another intruder and at Tabitha for letting himself get jumped by someone as feeble as May. "How nice of you to join us here. You see, in order to counter Archie's plot, Magma is harvesting this fuel-"

"_Stop lying_!" May's voice was stronger than Steven had ever heard it. His vision began to clear and he watched as the Pokeball she was holding exploded while still being clutched by her small, whitened fingers, and the blazing creature that he and many of the Gym Leaders had come to associate with her was then standing by the trainer's side. It lowered into an attack stance and fire was flickering dangerously from its palms. Steven tried to pull himself up all the way to his feet but was met with a dry wheeze instead and stayed pressed against the side of the desk, his curious eyes moving back to the trainer and forgetting the pain momentarily.

She was dressed in the magma garb – that had been no mistake. _Did she… sneak in here? _Both Maxie and Steven made the same assumption. Where May had suddenly picked up hand-to-hand combat, though, the trainer had no idea.

Maxie had become a statue on the other end of the room, his stillness creating a stark contrast to the bright, lively warm colors of his person, intensified by the setting sun. His eyes gradually grew wider and then he finally began his speech.

* * *

"Hmmh.." The pale man's attempt at a chuckle sent shivers up my spine. "Well, then. If the two of you are so intent on meddling, so curious as to what our goal here is, I'll simply tell you."

"Fair enough," Steven mustered dryly, his voice tight.

The words snapped me from my daze and I whirled around, approaching the beaten man. Scaling the building in search of Maxie had been easy, having found a spare Magma uniform lying amongst the mess of emblems and posters and so forth splattered across the lab tables and walls. I had planned on finding him. Tabitha, too, even, or that Courtney girl. What I hadn't planned on finding was Steven facing off against them instead, at the end of a long trail of defeated grunts, and – _damn it! – _I'd stood there camouflaged, watching the scene play out, only snapped from my daze when Tabitha had straight up begun to beat the unsuspecting trainer to the ground.

The little faith I had in Maxie had been on a nosedive and I'd never even realized it until now. _How did I ever have a smidgen of trust in this guy? In this group? They're just as bad as Aqua. _I gazed down at Steven. Nothing serious it seemed, just a killer red mark on the corner of his jaw, and by the paleness of his face I could only guess how disorienting the jab in the stomach had been. _This whole time, he told me they were…_ I wanted to slap myself. _No, now's not the time._

As I held out a hand to Steven and hardened my expression Maxie spoke up once more.

"This fuel…" His creepy laughter rose up once again. The sunset had climaxed, with the red color it was emanating being the same shade as his jacket. "We'll jettison the whole load into the heart of Mt. Chimney!"

"Nonsense…" Steven muttered beneath his breath. He seemed a little more collected and took the hand.

With a more effort than expected I'd need, I pulled the man upward. Steven had quite the grip, and due most likely to the dizziness continued the hold as he caught my gaze, saying a quick "thank you, May." The red blotch on his face was made entirely visibleas Steven took his other hand away from it and drew out a Pokeball. His gaze flicked to the recovering Tabitha, and the grip on my hand suddenly tightened.

I blinked, glancing down at our hands and instinctively letting go. "Yeah. It's no problem."

"The Meteorite? No longer an option, thanks to Archie's poor management. And Groudon-? Pah! The only further use Team Magma has for that slag heap of a mountain is the devastating eruption that might occur with the help of this fuel." Maxie had had his back turned to the group, taking another look out the window, and when he swung back around there was a wolfish grin on his face. "It will be _savage_!"

_Erupt the volcano…? _I shook my head. It was unbelievable. _To think he was the one warning me all that time ago that shutting it down would damage the ecosystem-? A full blown eruption would be insane! _"That's what the two of you are…" I wasn't quite used to the power in my voice. The usual mysterious weariness weighing me down was not present. "You're insane. You and Archie. What's erupting a volcano going to do except kill people?"

At last, Maxie had drawn a Pokeball from the folds of his heavy overcoat. His hysteria had seemed to calm down. "It doesn't matter anymore. _You _don't matter anymore, May. You've served your purpose to Team Magma – a large one, at that." Barely moving his arm, the man tossed the device onto the ground and released an enormous four-winged bat Pokemon with furious yellow eyes.

Tabitha, meanwhile, had picked himself off the tile and took his place aside his boss once more, hunched over and casting a furious look my way. "You little shit! We come all the way out to Mossdeep and you show up here, too, messin' with our plans? We'll put both of you down!"

Out of the admin's Pokeball came a Golbat, flapping loudly about the room and bumping into chairs. It didn't possess the same intelligence as Crobat, but was definitely a powerful and well-trained Pokemon. Whether that was thanks to Tabitha or some other trainer, I couldn't guess.

Pulling the Magma garb from my person and tossing it aside, I waved out my hand and called for Blaziken's first attack.

* * *

Steven, after a quick word with May, released his own Metang and the battle began explosively. Being somewhat of a loner, the trainer was less apt with tag-team battles, but dire situation aside, being able to fight side-by-side with the girl was a much more exciting way to see how she'd progressed than watching a Gym battle. He began cautiously, observing May's explosive, offensive style and adapting to it, Metang defending Blaziken where it was weak and Blaziken striking back at any foes that zeroed in on Metang. The opposing type duo did surprisingly well against the bat Pokemon; somehow in a mere matter of turns both were sprawled across the tile in a mess of leathery indigo.

The silver-haired trainer allowed himself a quick victorious smile and took a breath, but when he looked to May she was still completely engulfed in battle, teeth gritted, barely conscious of the dusty strands of hair falling in her eyes. Her pose even seemed to imitate that of the Fire-Fighting-type on the battlefield, legs lowered and arms braced. Between her apparent physical and emotional growth May was hardly recognizable when put next to the girl he'd spoken to on Route 120. However, he didn't have long to observe as Maxie and Tabitha, as fiery as the substance their team was named for, released their next Pokemon; two Mightyena.

As soon as they materialized Steven saw the reason for May's concern; Blaziken collapsed, falling to Crobat's poison.

Steven considered asking the trainer what Pokemon she would choose but bit back the words as the two of them quickly swapped Pokeballs, partly out of shyness and partly out of wanting it to be a surprise.

When the Great Ball she threw revealed an excited Lairon and Steven's, a full-grown Aggron, needless to say both of them were shocked.

"An interesting choice," Steven remarked, just barely able to contain a chuckle. He brought one hand to his chin and cast the girl a quizzical glance. A twist of pain in his gut reminded him that such remarks weren't necessary right now.

May, who was outright gawking at the monstrous Rock-type as she scanned it with her Pokedex, muttered a confused, "T-thank you?" in reply.

Despite the distracting pain the next phase of battle went even more smoothly. The Aron line, Steven found, was unique in how they had to be trained. They were unruly Pokemon, wanting to make a mess in battle whether you liked it or not, but if raised in the right way were also strangely loving and would hold strong trust in their trainer. An Aron trainer had to be able to manage both its recklessness and its pure power, or else they'd probably get frustrated and release it. Within the first few turns, it was clear May had done something right in raising her Aron. While it still made quite a mess of the room's expensive, modern décor, each of its blows packed a hell of a punch. The call of its trainer could snap it from its confusion and it had a good balance of attack and defense. Where Steven's Aggron possessed pure power and was slow, Lairon was smaller and more agile, picking Mightyena off of the monster's tail when it moved in for a strike.

He stole a glance at May. She was staring uneasily at the floor, like with all of the thumping it may give way. Steven scoffed.

* * *

Soon both Mightyenas were tossed back to their owners in whimpering messes of fur. I finally allowed myself a vengeful grin as Tabitha threw me another glare. Fulfillment. _Maxie won't get away where Archie did, back then. I'm winning… We're winning. _Aggron let out a wicked roar as it was recalled to its Pokeball. I peeked over at Steven from beneath my bangs. _He's strong. Really strong… I had no idea. _I scrunched up my face. _Has it been like this the whole time…? Even in Granite Cave, when I just had Combusken…_ The trainer met my gaze with two bright gray eyes and a confident nod. I turned back to the battlefield, face heating up with what was probably embarrassment.

The last Pokemon. I watched as Steven drew back one arm the same way he had before, across his chest, and then swinging his forearm, released the ball. The movement was strained, though, and his jacket was noticeably wrinkled now. Further up, Steven's jaw was clenched in pain, and the side of his face that'd got hit wasn't facing me – was that on purpose?

Skarmory – the first of his Pokemon that was actually familiar – materialized from the Pokeball, immediately lifting its wings and revealing its rusty red feathers. _A fast Pokemon… that can fly._ I sniffed and threw out a Pokeball I hadn't used in a while.

"_Leeeeeeeeep!"_

Lileep appeared ecstatic – as ecstatic as a prehistoric sea lily could get – and next to Skarmory, as well as two hulking Camerupts, seemed, well, pathetic.

But having just come from a Gym battle my mind was still reeling and active. Camerupt had an advantage over Skarmory, but Skarmory was fast and could wear them down. _If I keep them from attacking... _All it took was Confuse Ray and Constrict, partnered with Ingrain, to buy Steven's Skarmory enough time to get its attacks in. I debated telling Steven my strategy but he seemed to understand instantly and we continued our wordless battle, wearing down the massive bovine monsters not through the same fury and offense I'd channeled with Blaziken, but with patience, endurance, and strategy. The few times the Fire-types were able to launch a Rock Slide or Eruption, Skarmory shielded itself with Protect.

Just as Skarmory launched the finishing Aerial Ace on Tabitha's tottering Camerupt, Maxie's Pokemon, surrounded by roots and Lileep's own constricting attacks, succumbed at last to Toxic.

A string of curses came from Tabitha. He recalled Camerupt and shoved the ball into a pocket, finally revealing his frustration. Maxie was different; he stared at the ground with an unreadable look after tucking the Pokeball away.

"All I wish for… All Team Magma wants…"

I had to pause and really listen to make out his soft words, but the defeated lines on his face and slight hunch in his posture were enough evidence to me that the Magma leader had at last given up.

Steven was now huffing noticeably, still keeping the bad side of his head turned from me. He spoke up, voice low but sturdy. "Why can't you see, Maxie? Your group is misguided. This isn't a sane goal, and if you do want a better future for Hoenn, erupting volcanos and nonsense like that is not the way to go about it."

"Failure…" His normally disgusted tone was now heavy with something deeper than defeat. One wiry hand rose up to cover the top of his face. "Failure is all we've met… Even with meticulous planning, even when I thought I was ahead of that buffoon he is still…"

There was a long silence as the last sliver of the sun dipped beneath the ocean. The panoramic view of Mossdeep from the high floor of the Space Center was now blanketed in twilight.

Just as Steven began to shift Maxie sighed. I finally allowed my clamped fists to loosen some.

"We are not misguided… We can't be… After all, that would mean…"

Tabitha had not cooled off nearly as much as the red-haired man. "Boss…"

With the subordinate's words Maxie snapped back to attention, his face swirling into a mix of bitter hate and smugness. "Very well then, Steven, May. It appears you've defeated me – the Great Maxie, the one working behind the scenes." The tips of his eyebrows poked up around the top of his thin nose and his mouth warped into a wide smirk. "A real shame. That Team Magma… After all this time, failed, is it not…?"

Steven shook his bangs from his face as he turned to me, worry evident on his face. I shook my head. _I don't know either. It's almost like he knows something we don't…_

"Failed! Imagine that." Maxie, along with the rest of the grunts, were now marching to the stairwell, heads still held high, red boots arching high over the floor with each step. "No volcano, no _Groudon_…"

I bit my tongue, unsure of what, if anything, I could say. Steven tensed up noticeably at the last word.

_Groudon…_

The name echoed through my mind. Groudon.

"Isn't that just a shame, child?"

Glancing across the room again, I noticed Maxie had stopped and was now looking my way, his bored expression having returned.

"W-what is…?" I nearly gasped at how weak my voice sounded again.

"On that subject… How _is _that Blue Orb treating you, May? I can't imagine the burden you must be carrying."

The Blue Orb. It was in my bag. I knew exactly what pocket it was in.

"...What?" I barely registered Steven's objection. "May, what is he..."

_Groudon…_

_ Blue Orb…_

As if someone had simply flipped a switch, my head began buzzing and pounding again, though worse this time than ever before. The floor spun and whirled and I clamped my eyes shut. My hands moved on their own, clutching at my hair, tugging in an attempt to divert the pain elsewhere. There was a dull thump on my knees as they came in contact with the cold tile floor. I tried to get back to my feet, to chase Maxie and ask what he meant, how he was involved in this, instead I was left keeled over with his distant laughter echoing through my head.

_"Not now…!"_

* * *

**A/N: **So I forgot to add an afternote last night, heh. I didn't want to be overly edgy in having Steven get socked in the face (hasn't that happened enoough!) but I do get the feeling from RSE Tabitha's character that he's a bit of a punk and probably got in fights at school. If we want to delve deeper into headcanon territory, maybe he had a poor upbringing in general in contrast to the richest bachelor in Hoenn and was a little salty about that. Well either way, that happened. hehe.

Poor Maxie knows he's a failure. But Groudon has still woken up, he just hasn't popped out of the ground anywhere yet, so we'll see what happens :)


	37. Catharsis

**Chapter 37 - Catharsis**

Steven froze for a moment, looking from the pointed hoods of the last few retreating Magma grunts to May, who'd doubled over. His feet wanted to give chase to Maxie, but what would that accomplish? Another sock to the face? With this thought his worry got the better of him and the trainer knelt down beside the girl, unsure of what to do.

"May…" The questions pressing at his mind and sitting on the tip of his tongue were quelled momentarily by the state of pain she appeared to be in. "May…! Are you alright?"

The brown-haired trainer's breathing was ragged, her sides quivering, hands still clutching her head. A strained, quiet murmur served as her response. Something was definitely not right about this. Maxie's ominous words still sat in the back of Steven's mind as he hesitantly placed one hand on May's shoulder, calling out to the distant girl once again.

She flinched this time, but seemed to hear him, and after a few long seconds she settled down some, lowering her hands to her knees and pulling herself back to her feet without sparing Steven a glance.

He mimicked the action, noticing out of the corner of his eye that scientists and employees were cautiously reentering the upper floors and heading back to their desks. A few noticed the two trainers in the corner of the room and started towards them, their expressions flooded with gratitude and relief. Steven looked back to May. Her gaze was still unfocused, and she was hardly even facing his direction. Her skin was unusually pale and dotted with beads of sweat. Taking in the sight, Steven made a split decision.

"May, we should go back to my place. My house is on the other side of Mossdeep," he told her. "Are you well enough to walk?"

Somehow he got through to the trainer. She sighed, very weakly, while shaking her head. "Yeah. I'll follow you." The next part came out weaker, her voice fragile and full of guilt. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions."

Steven took a breath, his shoulders relaxing some. He was at least happy to get a reply out of May, but her words did nothing to quiet the alarms that were blaring in his head. Noticing that the liberated workers were closing in on him, he hummed out a, "That can wait," took one of May's still-trembling hands in his, and hurried towards the stairs. The head of the Space Center was recognizable in the crowd and he approached Steven, a thank-you on his lips, but the silver-haired trainer dismissed the man with a simple nod. "It was no problem."

Despite his quick pace and hardened gaze Steven did not feel scrutiny in the other scientists' glances as the two passed by them, standing out in their attire amongst the population all dressed in white coats or button-up work shirts, but for a reason he couldn't pinpoint, urgency weighed heavily in his chest as he slid out the glass doors and started back towards the town. Team Magma, of course, was still nowhere to be seen, though the image of their leader and the dark ringing of his voice still held strong in Steven's mind.

* * *

I flinched as the air surrounding me suddenly jumped some twenty degrees and for just a moment was aware of the beautiful natural scenery that'd suddenly sprouted up from the bland interior of the Space Center. The rolling fields of viridian were speckled with dandelions that resembled the stars beginning to appear in the darkening sky above. Everything felt like a blur; I was too focused on quelling the familiar images in my head and all the while processing Maxie's speech to bring myself fully to attention, though aside from the change in temperature I was vaguely aware of Steven's hand around mine and the cool touch of the two rings he wore against my fingers. His grip felt strong, too much perhaps, and somehow focusing on it kept me rooted to reality.

The sky was black blotched with fuzzy shades of artificial yellows when we finally entered the busier part of the town and lights began flickering to life around us. When we passed through to the far end of the island, away from the bustling centre once more, a white sliver of a moon was peeking down from the night's darkness, providing what little light it could to the natural path ahead. I rolled my head back and stared at it before becoming aware of a glistening in the distance, and blinked as I recognized it as the sea I'd crossed not very long ago.

The sea where Archie was hiding. No, not hiding, searching…

I watched it for a while as the path went uphill and my feet stumbled over dirt and roots. It was unusually still, with the moon's luminescent reflection looking like a million tiny eyes on the waves that rolled far in the distance. Then there was a slight tug at my hand and I was pulled to the right on another uphill path, the trees blocking my view of the ocean. A pleasant scent surrounded me, an earthy one I recognized as that of leaves and undergrowth. I peeked through my bangs, ahead of me, heat rising to my cheeks when I saw our interlocked hands. Steven's pace had slowed at this point and his grip wasn't as tight.

The feeling in my head had finally waned off some, but a haze of uneasiness and guilt still clouded my thoughts. _Team Magma… I feel so clueless… To think they did this… To think Steven was right… Then what did they want _me_ for…? To take out Team Aqua for them?_

The ground leveled out all of the sudden and Steven glanced back for a moment, looking me up and down, his eyes glowing with concern. "You're alright?"

I nodded, quickly drawing back my hand. "I don't know what came over me. Sorry. I-uh… It's been a long day…" Clearing my throat, I stood up straighter and nodded again, this time with more confidence. "I'm alright. I'll… explain the Orb thing now, too…"

Steven's expression didn't change but he turned around and walked forwards a few steps. My eyebrows shot up as I made out the large object beyond him, and remembered his words earlier. A cottage. We'd arrived at Steven's house. The wooden door squeaked briefly as Steven opened it all of the way and he stepped to the side, gesturing for me to come in. "It's not much, but please, make yourself at home."

"You don't live in Rustboro…?" The question escaped me on its own as I took in the surroundings and slipped off my mud-caked shoes. It was small and humble, not something you'd expect out of the heir to Devon Corporation, a simple little home by the sea. The main room had a plain wooden floor with a square red mat in the center and a low, oak table set in the middle of it. A kitchenette and some cabinets filled the far corner, and in another, a mid-sized television and couch. On the opposite wall was a sliding shoji door leading to either an adjacent room or a porch, and off to the far left was a small hallway containing what I guessed was a bathroom and bedroom. My eyes rested on an old fashioned desk not far from the doorway cluttered with papers, journals, and… stones. _Stones._ That was the other thing – the mahogany display cases lining the walls were full of stones, some shining, some bright and colorful, and others, completely nondescript, at least to my eye.

The door behind me closed quietly and Steven moved ahead, over to the kitchenette, pulling out a bottle of water and an ice pack. "No, although I grew up there." He set the bottle on the edge of the table and nodded towards me, pulling out a chair. "Though I am its president's son and I do have a tendency to hand out Devon products wherever I go, taking over Devon is probably at the bottom of my list of things I want to do, and you could imagine how that would sound to my father." A laugh that was almost bitter escaped the trainer as he pressed the blue plastic brick to his face. I cringed at the red mark the blow had left, and moreso just imagining what it'd be like to get punched by a brawny guy like Tabitha. The only reason I'd been able to fight him down was that I had the advantage of surprise. "I have much more interest in Pokemon and collecting stones, and this is more of an ideal spot for that than Rustboro, which is… in my opinion, rather crowded."

Somehow this brought back memories of our first meeting in Granite Cave and I scoffed at the fact that we were discussing nearly the same thing once again. Despite the numb feeling in my legs I stepped carefully over to the table and took a seat. I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Steven, as well as another wave of respect. "I think I can understand, even if it's from a way different perspective," I responded, watching condensation drip from the outside of the bottle. Even with the air conditioning it was still a particularly warm night. What I'd thought would be a simple sip from the water bottle ended up with me chugging nearly the whole thing – luckily while Steven's back was turned. I fiddled around with the cap as I continued. "Littleroot's hardly my home, either. And to be honest, I pretty much ran away against my father's will, too…" The words spilled out of my mouth before I could moderate them and suddenly my heart felt heavy. "Looking at all the shit I've got into since then, though, maybe he was right and I _am_ in way over my head." I furrowed my brow as I processed what I'd said. I wanted to be wrong about it, and I certainly didn't want to let anyone in on the whole ordeal – especially Steven – but it felt surprisingly good to get it off of my head.

Steven turned around towards the table again. The small overhead lamp shed golden light on his face and I noticed his expression soften. There was a pleasant but unwelcome feathery feeling in my stomach. "May…" He stumbled over the words for a few seconds. "I… I'm sorry."

* * *

_Damn it… _Steven silently cursed his father as he stood there, biting the inside of his cheek. He set the ice pack down. "…Sorry, for dragging you into all of this." At first he'd disregarded the man's chiding, how he had shoved the blame on Steven for the intensity that had developed between a young, novice trainer and Team Aqua, but more recently they'd bubbled up in his thoughts again and at the girl's most recent confession he realized just how terrible things must've become for her. All of those chances he'd had to be strict and simply tell her not to meddle with Aqua ever again – hell, he even could have called her on the Pokegear before anything had escalated. _Selfish,_ he thought, a sour taste in his mouth. _That's what I am. I just wanted a trustworthy ally through all of this, and yet I ended up pulling in someone completely innocent…_

May sat up in her chair like she was about to speak but Steven was first, blurting out, "and for my impolite leave at our last encounter. I should have stayed and answered your questions, but the rumors and information on Team Aqua and their goals have all been rather unclear to me until recently, so I had quite the scare." He looked across the table at her. Never in his life did he think he'd struggling to apologize to someone like this, much less a girl. "Before I explain the situation to you, I'd like to ask for your forgiveness."

He held the trainer's surprised gaze for a moment before looking away, embarrassed and somewhat wishing she was back in the less-responsive state she'd been in before. For a minute the only sound in the room was the air conditioner groaning in the back window and the distant rolling of the ocean.

"…Sorry, I just…" May held her hands in her lap, staring down at the water bottle, her blue eyes thinned in confusion. "I don't get why you're apologizing. You've done nothing but help, Steven. The thing on Route 120…" She leaned her elbows on the table, absently twirling a lock of brown hair in her fingers, and Steven had to fight to move his gaze back to his feet. "It didn't really bother me that much, so don't worry about it."

He let out a sigh he didn't know he was holding, running a hand through his hair and figuring out what to say next. Even if May did not understand the part he'd had in involving her in all of this, he was glad she wasn't upset. But Archie… wasn't exactly an easy problem to address. There was so much to explain to her, so many possible outcomes to the ordeal Team Aqua had begun and so many ways to fight it. Steven unconsciously paced into his kitchen again, turned on the stove, and put on some water, then began digging through a cabinet for a certain tea box, nose wrinkling at the wave of different scents that poured out of it. His family had always been coffee oriented, but Wallace was such a strong believer in tea that he'd donated a year's supply of it to him for his last birthday.

Steam quickly began to seep from the kettle and dissolve into the air. Steven watched it for a moment before becoming acutely aware once more of his probably uncomfortable guest. He turned around, peering across the room at her. She still had that unreadable expression on her face, and now she had her hands crossed on the table, poking her thumbs together. When he offered a cup of tea, she turned it down, but noticing the empty water bottle in front of her he went ahead and poured one anyway.

With a few more quiet steps Steven was back at the table with the two cups. When she raised an eyebrow at the gesture, he simply shrugged. "There was extra water. Now, where to start…"

For a minute they sat in silence, Steven preparing himself for the long speech he was about to give, that he had rehearsed plenty of times, but it was May that spoke first, her voice still small even though the color had returned to her face. "…Yeah, I have the Blue Orb."

If he was not raised to have the manners he did, Steven would've spat out his mouthful of tea. After Maxie's words at the Space Center, he'd suspected this. Gripping the cup, he finished before speaking. "The fabled Blue Orb… So you do." A million thoughts hit his mind at once. Where? When? How did Maxie know? Did Archie find out? The rumors he'd heard about the object, outside of them being connected to the legendary Kyogre and Groudon, weren't reassuring either; the stories were chock full of men getting possessed by them, or their vessels being too weak for their power causing them to die, and other dark, supernatural things like that. He prayed none were true, but thinking back to what he'd seen in the Space Center Steven began to worry again.

May appeared ready to answer those questions, as she set down the cup, squared her shoulders, and met Steven's gaze from across the table. He found that he liked her eyes - a stormy mix of blues, and never quite losing that gleam of confidence. "Mt. Pyre… I followed Team Aqua to Mt. Pyre. Whatever information they got at the Weather Institute… it must have led them there next. By the time I reached the top, though…" For a second he saw her poised persona waver and uneasiness swim through her delicate features. "I was too late. Archie… stole the Red Orb."

The news caused Steven's body to lock up in the uncomfortable position he was in, half-leaning on the table, as fear crept up his spine and raised the hairs on the back of his neck. How long ago was this…? Taking into consideration when they'd met on the same route, and when he'd spoken to May again in Lilycove over the Pokenav, it must've been more than just a few days. "And then what…?" He found himself asking, not used to hearing his own voice waver as it was. "What did he do?"

Steven immediately regretted the questions, as May's mood appeared to dampen even more. "I… don't know. After that Team Aqua left the mountain." She shook her head, a few stray strands of chestnut hair floating down into her face. "I should have stopped them. The elders told me they were entrusting the Blue Orb to me, and… and, that's… when _that _all started."

"…_That_…?" He felt something hurting in his chest as May very quickly again lost her strong façade. He glanced down at one of her gloved hands that'd started to tremble, but she immediately covered it with the other and spoke again.

"I don't know – as soon as I touched the orb I got some kind of vision. Like a hallucination… It sounds crazy," she laughed at this, only deepening the concern in Steven, "but it felt so real. Umm… anyway, after that Maxie – Team Magma was there, but they were too late – he invited me to the Magma base and suggested we worked together to stop Archie."

Steven listened on, absorbing all of the information and piecing it together with what he knew. "The orb is said to have such properties. Maxie seemed to have realized this as well. Considering some of what I've read, its honestly amazing that you've managed to carry it this long." His thoughts moved to Archie; was he experiencing the same thing, then? It only made sense that the elders picked out May to carry the Blue Orb, considering how exceptional a trainer - a person, Steven corrected himself - she was, but then why was it adversely affecting her if they had deemed her able? He exhaled, leaning his elbows on the table and twisting one of the steel bands on his arm.

"…Anyway, I left for Lilycove, which was crawling with Aqua grunts… I didn't think anything of the vision at first, but after that I started having… bad dreams… Nightmares, night terrors, whatever you want to call them, just as realistic as the vision. I don't know – maybe they aren't connected and I'm just _scared_, haha…" Her focus was entirely on the cup of tea, now, and one of her hands moved to the red shirt she wore to loosen the collar. "But I never experienced that until I had the orb on me. Right, so…" She paused, taking another sip of her tea. "That's around when I called you."

Steven blinked, remembering the night clearly. What time had it been? 5AM? He had been up reading books on the same subject, his nerves preventing any deep sleep from taking him. She'd asked about Team Magma – _that was why, _he realized with a frown. "Maxie…" his mind was whirling as he tried getting inside of the devious Magma leader's head. "If Magma's goals really were encircling Groudon this whole time, then without a doubt he was at Mt. Pyre not to stop Archie, but to obtain the Blue Orb that you possess, May." Suddenly it hit Steven – ever since that night he'd been questioning to himself why Maxie would try to draw May in to Magma – now it was obvious. "Oh, god… Where…" He looked up to the girl's worried eyes, ringed with tired gray circles. "You said… Team Magma's base was…"

"Mt. Chimney," came the quiet reply. She tilted her head. "Why…?"

Steven gripped the table as he felt his own hands begin to tremble. "If they had already found the dormant Groudon… Then inviting you, the wielder of the Blue Orb, into their base…"

May sat back in her chair and he barely heard her voice. "What do you mean…? They…"

Taking a breath in, he stood up from his chair and began to pace. "Are you familiar with the lore behind Hoenn's legendary Pokemon? I understand you're from Johto, so if you need to I can explain it to you in detail."

She shook her head. "I've heard about it from a lot of people. And read a few things... Groudon created continents and brought heat, while Kyogre was the lord of the ocean and brought rain...? Right?"

"Put simply, yes," Steven replied, moving over to a shelf and pulling out a heavy book that had recently been put to much use – _Hoenn Creation Mythos_. He set it down on the table with a loud bang and then pulled it open to one of the many marked pages. Across it stretched rudimentary drawings of three creatures. They were grotesque things, one hunched over, covered in spikes, and carrying two massive claws, the other long and streamline, with wicked, beady eyes. Both possessed sharp, triangular teeth. "As you may have guessed, Aqua's ultimate goal, I'm positive of, is to awaken Kyogre, the leviathan said to bring torrential rainfall." His hand moved across the illustration. May was watching carefully. "It'd be the easiest and most primal, destructive way to expand the sea, and to attain the 'world' you said Shelly mentioned back in the Weather Institute. The same goes for Groudon; I had less confidence in Team Magma's connection to it, but after today's events I'm sure. Rayquaza, a creature from legends in southern Hoenn, was the mediator between the two." He took a moment to calm his nerves. "The Red and Blue Orbs may somehow awaken them. Both are said to sleep deep beneath the surface of the earth, as they have since their last clash, but the exact location is unknown, though it is somewhere in Hoenn. Since the region is so wide and half the modern population doesn't believe these Pokemon exist – anymore, at least – no one has been able to find them, or even come up with a way to track and confirm the location of one. Even if a slumbering Groudon or Kyogre was found, they'd be in a state that's essentially closer to death than hibernation, with the orbs being the only rumored way to release them – the orbs, a set of artifacts whose existence was also questioned." With this Steven flipped to another page of the book, showing illustrations of a dark undersea cavern.

When he looked back to May, the girl had gone pale again. She began to stutter, "T-that's… That's where…" He frowned and set the book aside as May collapsed back in her chair, sighing in defeat. "Archie… The sub he stole- I… Shit…"

"Slow down, May," Steven responded, mentally pinching himself for getting so worked up. "I should have let you finish. Go on."

Even with this May still had that broken expression on her face. "Y-you must've seen the news report where Aqua hijacked the submarine in Slateport City…"

He recalled the event with ease – even yesterday it'd been reported on at least five times, with no new findings. Anything related to Aqua was hot nowadays - about time, too. May blowing off the reporter had certainly been the highlight of it.

"…They took it back to their base, in Lilycove… I guess, to modify it or something…" May's weariness was beginning to concern Steven. A gloved hand rose to her bangs as she combed her fingers through them. Each word brought forth a new pang of anxiety. "I was… too late, again… He left with the submarine. Matt said… he was headed to someplace deep under the sea, that I'd never find him…"

She trailed off.

The weight of the situation sank in. "So as we speak, Team Aqua is… on their way to the seafloor cavern…?" The sentence was jagged and uneven but Steven felt as though he had to say it to help himself believe it, and deal with it. "To awaken Kyogre."

* * *

There was a long, tense pause. I'd never felt this horrible in my life, not even after running from my father. Singlehandedly… I'd let Archie get the orb, then the submarine, then escape. _Singlehandedly, I've let Archie… destroy the whole region. The world, even..._ I clenched my hands into fists beneath the table, staring into the near-empty cup of tea Steven had for some reason poured for me and trying desperately not to drown in my own guilt. I was guilty for letting Archie get away and for leaving my parents like that. I was helpless because there was no way I could stop Archie when I didn't know where the hell he was. I was useless in front of Steven, sitting here in his house admitting to all of the failures I'd allowed.

"What of Groudon?" The fear in the man's voice was blatantly obvious even if he kept his expression cool and stoic. "In Team Magma's base… You didn't see it? Maxie didn't mention it, or steal the orb from you, or anything?"

I shook my head, choosing at first not to speak in fear that my voice would crack. But then my memory chose to second guess me. _Did_ something happen that I didn't remember? I had passed out, but…

"I'm… not sure, now that I think about it," I said, voice tighter than I wanted it to be. My stupid hands wouldn't stop shaking, either. "I actually passed out at one point. Their base was so deep in the volcano, and on top of that I had one of those migraines again, from the orb…"

"You would know, if Groudon had been awakened," Steven spoke up. "You might not even be here right now, if it was… And if Maxie claimed Groudon was a failure back then, so... his plan to revive it must have failed. Perhaps he never found out where it was sleeping… You said they evacuated because Team Aqua had made their debut in Slateport – no, whatever the case, after the blow we dealt the Space Center Maxie has likely given up. The real problem here is Archie."

Steven started off on his own thing again, shuffling through the papers on his desk and muttering to himself. I swallowed, picking up the empty cup and bottle and carrying them back to the kitchenette. Across the room he spoke up again. "Kyogre's awakening would not only expand the sea as Archie wishes. If he brings back the ancient power of that Pokemon… Hoenn… No, the whole world could enter a crisis like nothing we've faced before. It would upset the balance of nature…" There were more footsteps as he moved to his bookshelf. His movements were quick and sharp, like a bee buzzing worriedly about its hive. Each of his words were precise and confident even with the grim fate they depicted, like he'd studied this time after time, knew exactly what he was talking about. That made it all the more scary. I turned my head momentarily as he finished his thoughts, and he threw me a solemn look. "Kyogre won't just cause floods. The damage it's capable of… It could drag this world back into unlivable, prehistoric conditions." With that, the trainer went back to his shelves.

The faucet whined in protest as I turned it on. I removed my gloves and began rinsing out the dish. The action was just barely therapeutic, reminding me of home, of life in Johto, when my biggest problems were chores like washing out dishes for Mom. I let the water run over my clammy hands for a few seconds – it was cool and refreshing (no offense done to Steven, but he really needed to crank up the AC in here), and was able to brush some of the fog from my mind.

My feet scuffed against the ground as I shuffled back to the table. In the back of my mind, I felt that damn orb again, whatever its influence was, lurking, threatening to resurface, and out of spite I pulled the sapphire object out of my bag and clutched it as tight as I could until my knuckles went white and my fingers started to shake.

_This damn thing…_ I gritted my teeth. _What's it good for, anyway? Unless it can tell me where Archie is, right in this exact moment… Nothing. _There was nothing I could do to go twenty-thousand leagues under the sea and somehow take back the Red Orb from Archie. And there was no way I, alone, could fight off an apocalyptic monster like Kyogre. The images from the orb's visions rocked around in my head and I pushed them away. Suddenly, a drip of liquid hit the orb's smooth surface and dribbled down the side onto my hand. I loosened my grip on it. _This is all my fault._

"May…" Through my peripheral vision I noticed Steven had returned to the table, a huge map in his arms. His eyes were glued to the orb. "That's… the Blue Orb?" Taking a breath, he set the map down. "It's… strangely beautiful."

"Steven," I choked out, not looking up from the object. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. Ever since the trip to Southern Island you made it clear we were on the same side- I don't know why I didn't… Maybe then none of this would have-…" I couldn't continue. My voice got stuck in my throat, clogged up with the rest of the pent up fear I had withheld. I cursed inwardly as more drips fell onto that damned orb's surface. To think Archie could be closing in on Kyogre as I stood here – Kyogre, the legendary Pokemon – that some dream as outrageous as expanding the ocean could come true…

As deep as I dug my nails on my other hand into my palm, it didn't stop the pressure I felt in my chest that then finally gave way, and with nowhere to run or hide or be in private I merely turned away from the lamp's dim light. Each deep breath I tried to take just felt more ragged and choppy than the rest and I clenched my teeth together until a burning feeling arose in my jaw. Steven's silence only made me more uncomfortable. My vision grew too blurry and I closed my eyes, covering them with my free hand. _Why… Why did I… _At that moment I wasn't able to do anything but cry. The Blue Orb hadn't quite found its way out of my hand. I couldn't walk to the door and excuse myself - my legs were totally locked up - and I couldn't even dream of pulling myself together. The hot feeling of humiliation only worsened things.

No sooner did I pick up on footsteps did I feel something warm surround me. My already immobile body froze up more.

"This isn't your fault, May."

It was Steven's voice, so close at that. I peered out from behind the layer of tears in my eyes - the sleek black jacket and dull, silver hair was very recognizably his as well. _He's hugging me… am I really that pitiful…? _But whether it was due to my weak state or not, I returned the gesture, moving my numb arms around him and holding back a sob when I felt more tears on my cheeks. Even with the embrace they kept coming, my heart feeling like it was submerged. _This isn't your fault._ I wasn't sure if he'd repeated himself or if the words were just echoing through my head, but they drowned out the doubt at least for the time being. _This isn't your fault… _Slowly, I began to collect myself again, attempting every few seconds to match my shaky breaths with his even ones. _It's not my fault._

* * *

Whether it was guilt, pity, or whatever else that'd driven Steven to embrace May he had no idea, but he at least had peace of mind once he had, rather than embarrassment. The weight she was carrying was too much, and however illogical it may have seemed to him that she would carry the blame instead of Archie or himself, clearly May had only been able to see herself as the responsible one. Steven wasn't a sociopath that never felt sympathy, but pity was something that rarely crossed his mind or touched his heart, and nothing at this level, so as he held the girl in his arms he attempted to sort through his own thoughts and emotions. The end of the world. Something as heavy as that would move anyone. _And I'll do whatever I can to prevent it, as I always intended, whether May's up for it or not_.

Steven drew in a breath in slight surprise when he felt weak, nearly limp arms wrap around his torso, and when May started to very quietly sob he, as gently as possible, moved one of his hands up from the center of her back to her head, shifting so she could at least muffle them in the folds of his jacket between his neck and shoulder. He frowned, grimly. It was like holding an injured, weak Pokemon. It was hard to believe this was the same fiery young woman he'd seen battling on television so many times and had fought alongside not long ago, but truth be told, it had been, for a while.

He was aware of the round surface of the Blue Orb pressing into his back, even through the two layers Steven was wearing. The orb. Undoubtedly the legends were not entirely false in saying it was able to affect its holder's mind. He mentally noted to call Wallace about it – being from Sootopolis, the man would have to know something.

May's breathing gradually evened out, and they stood there for a moment longer, before Steven, realizing she had stopped crying, quickly drew back and they separated themselves. The trainer's eyes and cheeks were red but she muttered a small "thanks".

Steven, having had more than enough time now to choose his words, summoned up the most confident voice he could. "May… _My _duty was – is – to stop this catastrophic event from happening, and… deal with the consequences, if it does. However, I can't do it alone, and I won't allow you to carry that burden yourself, either." Her head tilted downwards and she moved to place the orb on the table. Her hand lingered on the edge before dropping back to her side. Steven tensed before taking hold of May's shoulders, bringing her back to attention. "I need your help, May. Hoenn does. If our work at the Space Center is any indication of what we're able to accomplish working together, then I believe we could stop this if we just combine our efforts. I have no intention of forcing you to action or guilting you into doing this, but despite all that's happened I still want to stop Team Aqua, and I believe the only way that's possible is if you lend me your strength."

Her eyes finally met his, as azure as the artifact sitting on the table next to her, and despite how puffy they were May finally seemed to hold something resembling confidence again. She inclined her head. "I will. You're right… All guilt aside, I still want to stop them too." Relief flooded Steven but he only allowed a small smile to rise onto his face. "I want to help Hoenn," continued May, the familiar strength returning. "I want to help you, and to end all this."

"Good." Finally, Steven allowed himself to relax some, and he moved back to the map spread across his table, pointing to a section circled in charcoal. May moved beside him, letting out a concentrated hum. He waited, slightly amused, as she quickly recognized aloud the region as the islands of Hoenn, with Lilycove on the far left side of the paper. Their hands brushed as she pointed out a different part of the map, one further north.

"That's Mossdeep?" inquired the trainer.

Steven stifled a laugh. "Yes. This is a nautical chart, belonging to an old family friend and an asset of Devon's. Some time ago he stumbled upon what he thought was one of the deepest parts of Hoenn's ocean, shrouded with a layer of rock and mud, perhaps holding a cavern. The map was a gift to me, in case I wanted to go looking for stones there, apparently, though it's much too deep to reach by any ordinary means." May's eyes were glued to the spot on the map, fingers brushing along the edge, though when he saw her head slightly incline in acknowledgement he continued. "I never thought much of it. But now it only makes sense. A seafloor cavern undiscovered by man, reachable only by a high-tech submarine… Team Aqua so desperately wanting those equipment parts, wanting to steal Devon's technology and innovation… Then stealing a base submarine… Kyogre living in a similarly described seafloor cavern, and now, your recollection that that is exactly where Archie aims to go." With anticipation springing about within him Steven slammed his hand down on the encircled spot of the map, calling out, "This is the spot! This is where the final stand will be, May!"

Inhaling sharply, Steven withdrew his hand and turned to the girl, who was more than a little surprised at the outburst. "Perhaps I got a little ahead of myself there. But I'm sure of it. Archie will be there. Kyogre will be there."

The brunette brought one hand to her belt, taking hold of a Pokeball as though she were ready to run out the door right this second. "I'll go, then!"

Steven nodded, folding up the map and setting it aside. "I trust in your abilities, May. But you need to be prepared." Despite the weariness taking hold of his head – the hour was getting very late, all it took was a glance out the window at the darkening city to tell – the trainer moved swiftly, pulling out some spare supplies from a cabinet and handing them to May. The gesture felt familiar, almost laughably familiar. _Here I am again, giving out my father's things to trainers, huh?_

Perhaps too rapidly, he explained the HM Dive and the Devon Scuba Gear to her, emphasizing that diving practice was important before attempting to go all the way to the bottom of the sea. It was designed for deep water usage, but no novice would be able to make it to the Seafloor Cavern.

"It's alright," she spoke up with a smirk. "I've got just the right Pokemon for this. Sharpedo – it can go pretty fast on the surface… I'm almost excited to see how fast it'll go underwater."

Hesitantly, Steven handed over the equipment to the beaming young woman, unable to keep a grimace from his face. "Do what you can, May, but don't push yourself beyond your limits. I won't be able to dive down with you, at least not immediately – I have a few duties to finish up, here – but I'll join as soon as I can."

Somehow, May fit the gear into the bag at her waist. She straightened, taking a deep breath, fixing her bandanna and tightening her belt. "Okay."

"First, though, May… Both of us deserve some rest." He held back an exasperated sigh when the girl stuck out her lip in a pout. "If not for you, do it for your Pokemon. Archie may have the submarine, but should he by some miracle have even a rough idea of where the seafloor cavern is, he will still be combing the bottom of the ocean to find it, all the while trying to stay hidden from the authorities that are surely on his trail, by now…" Though the anxiety would probably limit sleep from reaching either of the worn trainers, Steven continued nonetheless. "The Pokemon Center isn't too far down the road."

"Alright," May finally consented, though there was reluctance in her tone. "By the way…" Her gaze paused on the bruised red mark on his face for the umpteenth time. "Sorry about that."

The trainer merely shrugged, fetching the ice pack partly out of self-consciousness and partly out of the dull pain it'd begun to radiate ever since he'd taken the cold away from it. "Hmm… I really did deserve it, didn't I?"

Steven moved to open the door as May pulled her shoes back on, scoffing again – Devon's Running Shoes.

"What?" Somehow, she'd picked up on his silent quip, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," he remarked, leaning back against the door coolly as a warm breeze blew in from the coast, ruffling both of the trainers' unkempt hair. "You're just like a walking Devon advertisement, is all."

May almost uncharacteristically puffed out her cheeks as she hopped down the doorstep and onto the path back to town. "Hey, when all this is over, maybe I'll have as many gray hairs as you do!"

The wind picked up again, muffling her words but when they did reach Steven his jaw dropped and he glared accusingly out the door at the trainer now running off towards the town center. The gust then blew some of Steven's silvery strands of hair into his face, mocking him. With another huff the trainer headed back inside, glancing out the window down the path once more before switching off the lamps, dropping the AC another degree, shedding his suit jacket, and collapsing in his bed. Despite his earlier thoughts, the comforting embrace of sleep came easily, thankfully carrying no bad dreams.

* * *

**A/N: **So yeah, this one ended up being a lot more Steven–based than I thought it would be, but I like how the chapter came out anyway. It's very nitpicky of me to notice this but in RSE he talks a lot more casually than in ORAS, where he talks like someone straight out of lotr sometimes, so this sort of built a tiny headcanon with me that when he's around others or being polite or whatever he's very well-spoken but when he's around people he's more comfortable with like Wallace he's more casual. Everyone does this really, but Steven here to a larger extent.

Their relationship is really hard to write but I love it anyways -/- Since story-wise they've only met a few times I didn't want to get super romance-y or w/e but I like to think that they sort of slowly grow on each other, and plus it's kind of sort of the apocalypse so there's lots of other feelings flying around. I got really sad and also embarrassed writing them hugging. Okay, anyway, it's really late… R/R, really appreciate yall and how you put up with my routinely late chapters lol, luckily this one is edited much more than the last, thanks for reading!

Also looking back I think I picked up the little gray hair joke from a daiharu fic I really adore but was never finished, "Heroes of Hoenn" by xxsapphireheartxx. I wanna give another little shout-out to that even if it's pretty much abandoned because it's very good and was part of the inspiration for me to write this story.


	38. Race Against Time

**Chapter 38 – Race Against Time**

Archie stared blankly out of the porthole of the upgraded Aqua submarine in an almost dreamlike state, watching as columns of bubbles rose idyllically towards the surface. He wasn't sure how deep the sub was at this point, but he'd had a rather sleepless night and was too drowsy to care. Despite this, the man was fully engaged with the sight that to most would look like a whole lot of nothing, silently indulging in the beauty of the abyss. It'd be a gruelingly long journey, combing the seafloor for Kyogre's sleeping form - though not as much with the upgrades Team Aqua had given the sub, including oceanographic surveying equipment to help simplify their mission – but he would enjoy every minute of it if he were just able to sit by the window in peace.

"Archie, sir!"

The curt voice of one of his grunts – an older one, for Team Aqua, one Archie recalled as once being a professor at a prestigious university – interrupted his daze, and the sedated leader turned around in his chair to face the man. "Yeah? Where are we, now?"

He faltered. "Err, we're around Mossdeep, sir. We're still only brushing the surface…"

"Hahah, yes… Hoenn's ocean is so magnificent, is it not? It's only logical to want to expand it." Archie finally snapped himself from his relaxed state and got to his feet, feeling a wave of fiery dizziness from sitting down for so long. "What's botherin' ya? Did we find the place?"

"We might have, sir," explained the grunt, his voice suddenly determined. "It's a breakthrough… You should speak to the one responsible, though, he can better explain it."

Electric anticipation filled the cramped submarine as Archie was led to the main cabin and handed a radio receiver. "This is Archie…"

"_Boss! Sir!"_ came a yelp as a reply, already making the leader skeptical. _"You won't believe it! I was going back through some of the recorded calls from the son of President Stone, Steven Stone – there aren't many, but some of the older ones…"_

_Stone…?_ Archie wanted to laugh. The boy was hardly a threat anymore; he and his corporate father were easy to manipulate. _If only that damn scamp hadn't got in the way, that time…_

"_…and he and some old man were discussing a map gifted to him. Way before any of this. And apparently this guy found what might've been an old, deep sea fissure, covered in rock, never explored by man."_

Archie exchanged a surprised glance with Shelly, who was co-piloting the sub. "You ran this through with the others?"

"_Yes! They say it's very likely it's there. All the man mentioned in the call was that this cavern was in the middle of the ocean, and that it was near Mossdeep. The tech team has come up with a target area and they're relaying it to you now, sir. We could also simply steal the map from Steven, but…"_

A wolfish grin rose onto Archie's rugged features and he tugged on his beard with one hand. "Nah, this should do it. You've done Aqua great work, kid."

_"T-thank you, Boss, sir!"_

Silence filled the cabin as the sub came to a stop. Shelly and the grunt beside her leaned back in their chairs, throwing quizzical looks at their leader.

"Get to those coordinates! Shelly, it's almost time…" From beneath his shirt the man drew out the Red Orb once more. Its radiance, the woman had noticed, seemed to have been increasing the past few days.

Shelly's lips curled into a smile as she turned to face the controls once more. "At long last, sir."

* * *

"Hey, Mom! I'm home," called Brendan between breaths as the front door slid shut behind him. The trainer wiped the sweat from his forehead before stepping inside, looking around for his mother. Even if the hottest months for Hoenn had passed, it didn't mean much for the inland towns, and the humidity still seeped within the walls of his small home. The trainer dragged himself over to a window fan, holding out his arms and sighing.

"Brendan, honey! Welcome home!" came the call from the backyard. "I'll be right inside! Is your father with you?"

The boy unclipped his heavy backpack and tossed it onto the couch, shouting back, "He's at May's, but he said he'll be right over." Brendan then proceeded over to the kitchen, raiding the fridge and cupboards for the sweet snacks and drinks unavailable to him while out training Pokemon and doing research. The house, as always, looked as good as new, despite it having more than a few years on it, though he felt a little pang of guilt about his mother being left alone here all the time with his little brother.

Brendan made his way back over to the couch and sprawled out, kicking off his shoes and putting his feet up. "Boy, another hot day…!" He commented absently, taking a swig from his glass of vegetable juice and flicking on the TV with one hand. The screen flickered to life, and absently the boy wondered if his mother had kept his recorded programs on Professor Oak from while he was out.

The channels were lazily surfed through as the boy's mother entered the room and the two began to chat very easily about where Brendan had gone and what types of Pokemon he'd caught. The clock hanging on the stairwell ticked on as an hour passed, and Brendan took a break from his relaxation in the cool living room to take some of his Pokemon out back, where his brother was playing in the garden with his toddler friends, all pretending to be trainers.

When the teen returned inside, his father had taken his spot on the couch, in a similar position, and his glass of juice was, to Brendan's chagrin, drained. His mother smiled as the boy stuck out his tongue and padded back out to the kitchen to get more.

"So, what's up, Dad? Anythin' new?"

Birch sighed in exhaustion at the question as his son plopped back down on the carpet next to the couch. A groan escaped him and he crossed his arms. "Nothing really, I was just checking in to see how things are going with the Gym. Norman hasn't gotten any challenges lately like that boy Wally, and… She-who-shall-not-be-named."

Brendan snorted, pulling off his hat to cool off his head. "I'd bet. But that May… she really is something else."

His father glanced down at the boy, and with a grin, ruffled his short black hair. "Looks like the great Brendan finally has a smidge of admiration for someone other than himself!" On the other side of the room his mother laughed along.

"Hey, you know I'm not like that, Dad," complained the boy, his tanned features twisting on the thought of the athletic young woman and the battles they'd had. "I'm not praising her, either, I just mean that what she's lacking in Pokedex entries and team variety she makes up for in her skill for battle."

Birch scoffed, falling back onto the worn green sofa. "Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm just messin' with ya. She really is like her old man in that way, whether she likes it or not. All about training and battling! Who knows, though? After what I heard about your last battle with her, maybe she'll make it to the Elite Four!"

Brendan merely snorted. "We'll see about that. She's still so clueless about Hoenn, I doubt she even knows who the current League Champion is."

"Well, dear," came his mother's feminine, yet stern voice, "maybe instead of putting the girl down you could offer help. Since you grew up with such a talented professor for a father, try spreading that natural knowledge you have about Pokemon to others!"

"Aw, stop it, you're making me blush!" objected Birch, covering his face with two huge hands.

Brendan frowned at his parent's almost childish advice, but took it to heart nonetheless, his eyes drilling into the brown hardwood floor, drumming his hands on the surface. "…Yeah, alright. Not like I'm gonna be seeing her for a while, unless her and her old man patch whatever problem they have up."

Outside, the youngest Birch began to excitedly call for his mother, and the woman exited the room with one more hesitant look exchanged with her husband.

"It'll be alright," the maroon-haired professor chimed, a tired smile on his face as he started to flick through Brendan's Pokedex, which he'd stealthily retrieved from the boy's backpack. "They're a different family than us. They have different ways of dealing with things. I'm sure Norman will come around and stop being so protective soon."

Turning his head and casting an unsure glance at his father, Brendan thought about May once more, all the while considering the professor's words. They really were different breeds of trainers, even far before they'd become rivals, and out of this the boy came to respect the Gym Leader's daughter much more.

* * *

"Miss?"

…

"…Miss?"

I blinked, shaking my head quickly to bring myself back to reality. As expected, the orb hadn't allowed me any sweet dreams overnight, and though there weren't any horrible visions like before, I was awoken more than enough times, barely able to coax myself back to sleep due to anxiety. The thought of this Kyogre loomed over me like an apparition, the pressure and depth of what would happen the following morning causing my small hands to tremble and my stomach to churn uneasily. The only thing able to quell the tension was the reassurance the visit with Steven had given me; though some of his words had seemed like those of a doomsayer, he'd also somehow helped to calm the storm raging in my mind and even if his words of comfort had only been said out of pure pity, they helped me get back to sleep.

So here I stood, looking as close to a zombie as any human would ever get as I waited at the Pokemon Center front desk for the last of my Pokemon to come out of treatment.

"Miss, your Pokemon are now fully healed. We're sorry about not being able to do so last night; as you may've heard on the news, there was a situation at the Space Center that evening, and many of us had to run up there…"

The woman's light voice just barely reached my ears and I jolted to attention, nodding at her. "Yes. It's okay. Thank you…" I stuffed the Pokeballs into my bag as I took another moment to collect myself and wake up. The nurse cast me a hesitant glance from behind her pink bangs, the slightest hint of worry in her eyes, and bowed, retreating back over to her desk. My whole body felt hazy and I snapped my head towards the analog clock hanging above the glass doors, its ticking finally registering in my mind. 8AM.

_Seafloor Cavern… _I recalled the assumed location of the mysterious place and pulled out my Pokenav to take a peek at the pinpoint I'd made of it. _No, like Steven said, it has to be there. That's the only place. Now... _With greater purpose, and feeling heat finally begin to move through my leg muscles, I stepped out of the Center and into the sunlight, taking in a deep breath. Mossdeep's air was warm and uplifting, and smelled of a mix of salt and wildflowers. _But there's no more time to sightsee, _I chided to myself, tightening the bag at my waist and inhaling sharply. _I have the Gym Badge, the HM Dive, and the Scuba gear. _My lips curved into a smile at the memory of the Gym battle that already felt like ages ago. _I can do this._

I'd not taken two steps off the road and onto the grassy fields that sloped down to the sea when my feet glued themselves to the ground. The deep blue horizon I'd been looking to with such promise… In the distance, _far _in the distance… _What is that?_ I narrowed my eyes and saw in my peripheral vision that multiple other trainers that'd collected outside the hub had noticed it as well.

There was a swell on the horizon, it seemed, just a little to the right, and if I'd not taken those few steps my view would've been blocked by an enormous evergreen tree just off the road. _Is that a cloud? No… it's vertical, and… it's moving too fast… _The blur of white rose higher and higher from the sea, like the crest of a huge wave. This all happened in the course of a few seconds and just as I began to count the time…

_CRASH!_

My very skeleton seemed to tremble as the enormous noise rushed over me and the whole island. Johto and Kanto were both familiar with earthquakes, and often we felt them in Olivine City, though distant. They were like an uncanny shaking combined with a very low rumble as the buildings around you vibrated. The feeling of the earth just barely wobbling beneath you was similar, but the sound was wild, more intense than I could have imagined, and my hands flew up to my ears to cover them. The cries of child and adult alike around me were blurred out by my gloves and by the roar of blood in my own head.

Then came that presence again, the familiar tingling in my head as though the orb had woken up from its nap. I fought to push it out, grinding my teeth together, and for once I was able to tame the feeling, to lock it away in the back of my mind.

As the pulsing faded, though, and as my hands returned to my side, new sounds of worry and panic filled the air.

"W-What was that?!"

"I-I don't know! In the ocean…! An explosion? A-a bomb?"

"A-a pillar of water…? S-should we get to high ground…?"

"Mommy, I'm scared…"

"What's going on?!"

I swallowed, peering over to a large throng of disgruntled townspeople that'd gathered a few blocks down the road. Fear seemed to emanate from them, from the whole island. I bit my lip and continued my way towards the dirt road that led down to a nearby boat ramp, hoping to find the fastest path off of Mossdeep and to the Seafloor Cavern.

When I spotted a very familiar figure in the faraway crowd I paused once again, the grass brushing against my knees.

Steven.

His lips were pursed, his eyes flicking from trainer from trainer, and when they finally met mine he slipped through the throng and started partway down the hill. The trainer's eyebrows were knit together, an expression of anxiety I'd never seen on him having taken over his face. But when I turned to step towards him, he halted, holding out one hand to stop me.

"Wait. Just go. This is your chance, May." Steven quickly clenched the hand and drew it back. "That explosion could only have been a sign that Archie has found and entered the Seafloor Cavern that holds Kyogre. Getting in there on your own could have proved difficult even with the diving gear, but now infiltrating it should be easy, if Aqua is paving the way."

I stood there as a gust of wind nearly knocked me onto the hill, questions lying on the tip of my tongue, but when I opened my mouth to speak Steven only snapped, "Hurry! I'll catch up with you!"

For some reason my eyes were watering, so I merely nodded, turning around and sprinting for the beach. I didn't look back. Mossdeep's beautiful natural coastline became a blur, background noise, as I skidded down the path and across the shallows, my arm extending on its own to release Sharpedo's Pokeball. I nearly tripped into the waves as the sand cut off beneath my shoes and the Pokemon zoomed closer to catch me.

I threw my upper body across the Pokemon's rough indigo back, struggling to regain my breath. _Well, looks like I'm swimming in these clothes today._ Sharpedo gradually picked up speed as I shifted so that I was gripping its dorsal fin and my legs were hooked around its pectoral fins, and when I was as secured as someone could get when riding atop a streamline aquatic Pokemon, it flew forwards at top speed, cutting across the choppy azure waves.

The whole time I kept my gaze on the area in which I'd seen the blast, only looking away when a spray of warm seawater rose up and smacked my face, stinging my eyes. My grip on Sharpedo was tight and every glance I strayed from the point only worsened it; in a matter of minutes we'd entered the open ocean, with Mossdeep becoming an olive smudge behind us and any sign of the Hoenn mainland either not in sight or covered by the mid-morning haze. It was one thing on a boat; alone, holding onto a single Pokemon for dear life? Slightly unnerving.

For what felt like hours, Sharpedo and I kept up the uneasy action of surfing. I became increasingly aware of the lack of vessels and swimmers in the ocean; on Route 124 both were scattered all over the place. Maybe it was because there wasn't much else out here, whereas Route 124 stretched between Mossdeep and Lilycove, or maybe it was out of fear from the bizarre explosion, but either option was equally unsettling.

The clear, tropical blue water Hoenn was known for came to a very sudden change as we drilled into Route 125, shifting almost immediately to a deep, dark sapphire. I called for Sharpedo to slow until the Pokemon was riding across the waves, carrying me like a floatie.

As much as I dreaded the painful connection brought on by the orb, I closed my eyes for a moment, delving into my thoughts. I balanced myself on Sharpedo's back and reached into my bag, pulling out the Orb that rested so casually in the far right compartment. The cold feeling rushed through my palm and sent a shiver up my spine and I remembered Steven's words again, the caution that had flashed through his eyes when I'd mentioned the supernatural qualities the artifact seemed to carry. _What is it…? _Just barely, I creaked open the door in my head I'd pushed all the thoughts into, a drip of sweat running down the side of my neck…

Immediately the familiar headache returned at this and I took a breath, steadying myself. Sharpedo growled beneath the water's surface. "I-I'm okay…" I mustered. "I just…" _What is it? This feeling… For some reason…_ I deposited the orb back into the pack and moved that hand to the water, letting it rest atop the ripples stirring through it. _For some reason… It feels like we're getting closer to the Seafloor Cavern…_

I shook the thoughts away and fished into my bag once more. "This is where we're going to Dive, Sharpedo," I muttered as I pulled out both the HM and the complicated diving gear. After juggling with the equipment – which was actually fairly easy to comprehend, leave it to Devon – and teaching Sharpedo said move, I took a deep breath, fastened the breathing mask as tight as possible, held onto the Water-type's fins for dear life, and in a shaky, muffled voice called out, "Use Dive!"

* * *

An ominous feeling had since blanketed the island of Mossdeep ever since the blast that morning. Steven had retreated back into his house, pulling the violet curtains on all of his windows shut and immediately calling up Wallace, who hadn't answered the phone the night before, praying that the man would pick up. He didn't bother turning on the news. _That blast…_ The line continued to hum and Steven sat down at his desk, nervously tapping his fingers against the surface. _Even if I hadn't gone out to check on May I still would've heard it… But without a doubt, that was where the Seafloor Cavern was…_

"_Hello hello?"_

"Wallace!" Steven barked almost immediately. "We have to talk – I have to warn you. Things have gotten increasingly bad-"

"_Oho_?" came the man's reply, in a tone drastically less urgent than Steven's. "_So? You finally did have a heart to heart with that May?"_

"Listen to me, Wallace!" The trainer's voice was harsh, earning a scoff from his friend. "May is on her way to the Seafloor Cavern to stop Archie, but I fear that may not even be enough-"

_"Wait, what? Seafloor Cavern? What are you talking about?" _Wallace inquired on the other end, and there was an audible crunch of leather as he sat down on his couch.

With an exasperated sigh, Steven hurriedly explained the previous night's conversation – save for the awkward hugging that he'd surely be taunted for later – all the while pinching the bridge of his nose.

_ "I see… So then, your wild prediction was right after all, and May's information has filled in all of the missing pieces…"_

"Yes. And with the explosion I'm sure you've already heard about, I fear, in the very worst case scenario, it may only be hours before…" Steven paused, the very words themselves sounding ridiculous, but he forced them out. "Before Kyogre is awakened and begins to wreak havoc across Hoenn."

_"Well, I'm glad you weren't any less paranoid before,_" came Wallace's uneasy reply, followed by a chuckle. _"I can have Sootopolis evacuated in a jiffy. Still… you're absolutely sure of this happening? You don't believe in May after all you used to say?"_

The thought troubled Steven. "I can't predict what might happen down there. I don't know how Team Aqua has changed over the past few months since she's been the one dealing with them… and I don't know how far Archie is willing to go…" Frustration welled up in his chest. "Even so, the risks are too high, Wallace. You know you need to go through with this. However troublesome it may seem… What might happen, with Sootopolis being within proximity…"

"_Yes, yes, I know,"_ replied the man with a sigh, recognizing the truth in Steven's words. "_When the time comes I'm able to be very serious, mind you. In any case, there's something else about this that's bothering me, Steven…"_

There were many problematic things in the pile of information Steven had laid on his friend, but he could guess which one was standing out.

Upon not receiving a reply Wallace continued, sobering. "_The orbs… Sootopolis City is loaded with lore on Kyogre and Groudon – too much, if you ask me – but to have some girl carrying around such an item…"_

"It wasn't a choice she made," Steven found himself saying, his tone a little more defensive than he intended. "As I mentioned, it's very clearly impacting her. My concern is what exactly that impact is… They have… _many _legends surrounding them… And furthermore, their connection with Kyogre and Groudon."

On the other end the Gym Leader hummed in thought, the line clicking as he shifted it to his other hand. "_Hmmm… Well, since they are ancient artifacts, I can't say for sure what the effects are. But the purpose was to contain or unleash the power of each respective Pokemon… With that, I'll take a not-so-wild guess and say what May could be experiencing isn't just the overbearing power of the legendary itself, but also a connection with its mind, and the reason this is manifesting as pain rather than as total possession is the same as why the elders entrusted her with it in the first place."_

Steven grimaced, pacing over to a window and peering out behind the curtains at the distant shoreline, glittering the same innocent and beautiful blue it always was, as though it were unknowing of what might soon become of it should Archie succeed. He processed Wallace's words with a quiet hum.

"_Aaanyway_," the man spoke again, and whether it was the Pokenav's basic speaker making his deep voice seem to waver or Wallace's own nerves Steven did not know, _"I should get to that evacuation thing. I suppose you should get to informing whoever's head honcho over there at Mossdeep, too, now."_

The gray-haired trainer nodded his head absently, leaning against the cool wall of his house and sighing. "Yes. I have to report to the League, before anything, as well, should all hell break loose. We have no time to waste, Wallace."

"_You got it, Stevo_," came Wallace's sarcastic reply, and both men clicked the call off, deposited the Pokenav in a pocket, and took a moment to absorb the weight of what might soon occur.

Steven's eyes roamed across his small, yet pricy home, the scarce furnishings that were somehow comfortable to someone who was essentially homeless, the priceless rocks he'd put so much time into collecting, and accepted that should he and May fail it was likely this little part of the world he called his could be blown away, could become part of the ocean.

* * *

Diving, an action that for one reason or another had always seemed so foreign and unenjoyable to me, instead brought a grin as wide as the scuba mouthpiece would allow and a light, feathery feeling to my heart. Deep under Hoenn's seas was another world, one you never would have guessed was there from looking at the barren expanse of nothing that was the ocean's surface, a world drenched in thick salt water and dyed a deep blue. My grip on Sharpedo was still as tight as I could allow without feeling like I was hurting the Pokemon – despite its fins being cartilage – but after a few moments of panic and struggle upon being submerged I started to let that fear go. With each canyon Sharpedo curved around, a new world opened up around us, full of bizarre formations in the rock, slimy, lengthy Pokemon the colors of the rainbow, and forests of deep green seaweed that slumped out of the way as we swam through it. All around bubbles of every shape and size floated up to the surface that was now just a pale glow in the distance, and I giggled, causing more of them to flutter sporadically out of the gear's filters.

All the while, both Sharpedo and I kept close watch of the walls and crevices around us for any abnormality. The Seafloor Cavern was closeby; not only had we dived as close to the Pokenav's marked area as possible, but also I felt in my gut that it could be around any one of these corners.

Just then a brown blotch in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Sharpedo seemed to have noticed, too, curving around in an arc and charging at it. I gasped. _A Pokemon? It's huge!_ However in an instant it was gone, disappearing into another black abyss far below us, and much to my relief Sharpedo did not follow, being a Pokemon that preferred the warm, lighted upper layer of the ocean itself.

Then I saw it.

Boulders.

The massive fish had retreated down towards a pile of shattered rock and messy, uneven chunks of stone, surrounding one of the many towering walls of undersea rock in this part of the Route. They were arranged in an almost too-perfect semicircle, and the crevice they seemed to have exploded from was dark, too dark, like a tunnel that led into the lightless depths of the earth. I drew in a breath and then urged Sharpedo downwards, clutching its dorsal fin with both hands now. As we drew closer to the seafloor and the pressure increased, the crevice, forming an uneven arc in the rock, seemed to grow larger and larger until its breadth seemed to match that of a barge. The Pokemon gave a warning growl, pausing at the entrance, but with one reassuring pat to its side it moved cautiously forwards.

Immediately, everything went black. The distant, musical chiming of the ocean was cut off by the walls of the tunnel, enveloping us in total silence, and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding creating a stream of bubbles behind us. I gritted my teeth, willing to put my very life in Sharpedo's care at this moment, praying that at the other end Archie would await us and I could stop all of this before any legends were awakened or disasters were brought on. Gradually, the Pokemon lifted up, dragging me along with it. _Is this… what it feels like in space?_

Then, all at once the light returned, and though it was dim it was nearly blinding to me. Sharpedo blasted forward, crashing through the surface of the water and hissing in what I could only guess was relief.

I glided across the calm pool of seawater to land and began undoing the scuba gear. The musky, stuffy air of the cavern was overwhelming. And cold – _very _cold, biting at my wet skin. The dark circle of water, upset by our arrival, lapped impatiently at the sand surrounding it that was easily mistakable for snow. Further away from the water it darkened and solidified until it was the same mucky maroon rock of most of Hoenn's oceanic coastlines. I twisted around, half stretching my back, half scouting out the rest of the cave; the tunnel narrowed, then appeared to split up.

I stored the last pieces of the Devon scuba gear and recalled a very uneasy Sharpedo. The click of the ball seemed to echo through the whole endless cavern. _Are there any Pokemon in here at all, I wonder…? _ The walls arched unevenly up around me and darkness seemed to drip from the ceiling, held back only by the industrial lights lining either side of the path. _That's right… Aqua just got here._ I craned my neck, searching the rock but there wasn't a single sign of one of their emblems. _I guess they haven't had time to decorate the place, then…_

With nothing left to assess I started through the cavern, careful not to stumble on the rough, jagged rock slab that served as a floor. _It really is like a different planet_. I chomped on the inside of my cheek. _To think I'm chasing Archie all the way here, even after all that's happened…_ _No, I can't think about the past now. It's not the same. I have Archie cornered… I'm one step ahead of him, and even though he's not here with me I have Steven helping me… _As the rough fork in the path grew closer, sounds – voices and cluttering – rose up from further within the cavern. Aqua wasn't far ahead. And did they even know the way through this place? To its heart, the deepest chamber?

In a split decision, I turned down the path on the left and broke into a sprint. Each breath I took filled my lungs with more of the cavern's frigid air, but despite the similarly extreme conditions to this and to Team Magma's hideout in Mt. Chimney I didn't feel lightheaded in the slightest.

_This is where it ends._

* * *

**A/N: **Oho, is it May? So, I did go to a lot of POVs here, mostly to revisit old parts of the plot like why Steven was paranoid about phone calls, a bit of the background Aqua/Devon had before May's arrival, how Brendan's view towards May has improved, how Norman is very slowly getting over things, and so on… When I first started writing this I wanted to stay as close to the material as possible and do like 99% from May's POV like the game, but now I don't think it'd be complete without deviating a little here and there or adding different views.

I also forgot to mention this last update, but I've already been thinking about and planning a little sequel-y/hoennchampionshipping thing to do after this….. We'll see!

Thanks for reading!


	39. At the Bottom of the Sea

**Chapter 39: At the Bottom of the Sea**

Skarmory was generally a quiet Pokemon. It had a notable call, a screech that sounded like two pieces of metal hissing against each other that scraped at your eardrums, which is why it was not exactly a widely used Pokemon in competitive battling. Steven didn't know his Pokemon to make much noise unless it was in battle or under great stress, but as the flowery hills of Evergrande City became a soft green blur in the distance and trainer and Pokemon were lifted into the fair sky, Skarmory made such a noise, and however brief it was it drew the man out of his daze.

The action brought a frown to his face and he placed one hand on the Pokemon's neck. As always, its body was strangely warm, despite its down being indiscernible from refined steel. They had flown from Mossdeep straight to Evergrande to meet privately with the Four, Steven urging his Pokemon to fly as fast as possible, and now, as he headed for the mainland, Skarmory was tired.

"I'm sorry, Skarmory. I don't mean to push you beyond your limits, and I know I'm not the lightest individual, but you're an incredibly fast Pokemon and Hoenn is a very large region…" His clouded gaze drifted off to the sea below. The beautiful, opaque blue reminded him faintly of a sapphire; it was probably somewhere like this that May had dove to the cavern.

Skarmory chirped again in reply, though softer, and then picked up speed as though it were fine. Steven furrowed his brow.

Time dragged terribly on and at last, the mainland came into sight. The trainer immediately pulled out his Pokenav and tried calling his father. Reaching Rustboro with decent reception, or reception at all, at such a distance, was a challenge on the Match Call app – something Devon still had to work out, in his opinion – and Steven knew he would need a good connection for the warning he was about to deliver to the company.

After a few tries, and as Skarmory closed in on the outskirts of Lilycove's harbor, the line began to ring. A warm gust of wind buffeted Steven, ruffling his hair and his black suit, and hearing its trainer's grunt of surprise the Pokemon began to descend.

At last, the President picked up and Steven reignited the same conversation he'd had earlier with Wallace.

"…I'm not sure of anything yet, but be cautious. This could be very bad. I'm sure no matter what there could be trainers harmed… If it escalates there could be all kinds of controversy and people could look to Devon… Not to mention Rustboro is on relatively low ground, and they've had flash flooding issues in the past…" Steven listed out all sorts of details that'd been pulling and tugging at his mind for days. Skarmory continued its circles over Lilycove. "What I'm trying to say is, I just want to warn you. Devon should be ready for whatever might happen, however bad it could be. And… if what I've read is even remotely accurate, it will be _very bad_. If Devon could just send help to problem areas, like Mossdeep and Slateport, and give out some of the tech – life boats, skiffs, even bring in a helicopter to help evacuate…"

There was a long pause on his father's end. Steven surveyed the ground below; from this height Lilycove was just a mess of silver buildings, black roads, and verdant fields in between. All were speckled with people, all people blissfully unaware of the situation at hand. The beach was worse; it was a beautiful, cloudless morning, and the yellow sand was crowded with both people and Pokemon all enjoying the sun. The population on the coastline would only skyrocket as noon approached. Yet at any given time, Kyogre could be released.

At last, his father spoke up. His voice was gruff and even further garbled by the somewhat poor signal, but Steven was used to it and understood his words well. "…_I see what you're saying, Steven… But…"_

_But?_ Steven found himself clenching one fist. _But what?_

_"I mean, really. It's just… This is all superstition! Come on now, son… _Kyogre_, coming back to life? Now? I understand fully how suspicious Team Aqua is, and I understand their goals in trying to deactivate Mt. Chimney or steal a submarine, as weird as they are. That's just their weird, borderline ecoterrorist agenda. But this? This is just… bizarre! How would they even awaken Kyogre? Locate it? What – with the Blue and Red orbs?"_

The trainer's grip on his Pokenav had tightened to the point where his knuckles were white and Skarmory, perhaps sensing his tenseness, tilted its head back in question. Steven's eyes became two furious silver slits but he said nothing, letting his father go on, not bothering to answer the rhetorical question.

_"I'm sorry, Steven, but I just have so much more on my table right now. I'll keep an eye out for Team Aqua like I always have, but that's the most of it."_ His tone was apologetic, though knowing this man as his father, Steven could detect the hint of condescendence. "_If _you_ were around the office more often instead of on League duty, I wouldn't be so busy… And – what was that about that girl, May, you said? I thought I told you to keep her out of this! You know, her father even contacted me about her. He said something wild about Team Aqua coming to their home looking for her, and-"_

At last, the younger Stone's frustration bubbled over. "How can you even _say _that? Doubt me, after all I've told you? After all that Team Aqua's done? You don't think they're radical enough to do something like this?" He shook his head, so unable to fathom his father's ignorance that it left him at a loss for words, and all the young man could do was sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose.

"_Now, Steven, I understand your concern. But you have to consider the views of others. Maybe it's different over in east Hoenn, but not everyone believes Kyogre and Groudon even exist anymore, and it'd take a whole lot for them to believe they could even… Come back, as you say. I know you've always been interested in that mythological stuff and I supported you through it, but..."_ There was a pause as the older man's uncertain voice faded as though he'd covered up the receiver, and in the background there was some chatter. "…_Sorry, I'm a bit busy. You know, most of the region still thinks Team Aqua is just a bunch of looney hippie activists, too. What I'm saying, son, is… I can't just send Devon tech and employees halfway across the region, with no notice, to stop some catastrophic event without reason, with no scientific backing… That explanation you gave me just won't cut it. This is the real world, Steven, and you're an adult, and I don't think delving this far into myths and legends will suit someone of your position…"_

Steven leaned back, pulling the phone away from his face and gazing further into the sky. His pale features were twisted in disbelief. _There's no way… After all that, it sounded like he'd started to believe me, but no… _His jaw clenched as he grinded his teeth together. _If Devon were to intervene this could be so much easier, potentially help so many people get their belongings and get to safety before disaster strikes…_ The frustration that had been bubbling in his head was gone now, leaving an empty chasm that, the more his father's words sunk in, began to fill with despair.

"_Steven?"_

Sighing, the trainer brought the Pokenav back to his ear. "Right, I understand. Stay safe, Dad."

"_Alright then, Steven. I've got a meeting with sales at the top of the hour, so I'm going to go. It was nice to talk to you."_

With that, the two hung up their devices. Steven tucked it away in a pocket, urging Skarmory in another direction.

If Devon wasn't going to help, then he had a lot of work to do yet. _I warned them… if that's all I can do, so be it._

Silently, Skarmory swerved around, flapped its wings, and propelled itself in another direction, its rider wrapping one arm around its neck and letting the other hang at his side.

* * *

It wasn't pain that was poking at my head as I rounded another corner of the cavern. My strategy of moving through the area wasn't that different from Team Aqua's base; I slipped through the shadows around some of the grunts, and others I fought against. But the layout was wildly different. Every large cave would split into three or four smaller tunnels, each leading to a different cavern, and there was next to no way to tell what led to the heart of the sea, to Kyogre's lair. To make things worse every cavern looked the same; dimly lit, with wet, uneven maroon walls climbing up just low enough to make it feel cramped, to remind you that you're far, far underground. Luckily, I was able to push away the creeping fear of the whole place collapsing with both logic – _why would it collapse after being exactly the same for thousands and thousands of years?_ – and by burying myself in memories of other cave experiences – particularly Rustturf Tunnel and Dewford Cave. The latter was especially distracting to probe at and I would have laughed thinking about my first meeting with Steven if the circumstances were different. _I never would have imagined that that weird gray-haired rock maniac I was just delivering a letter to… the Devon heir… we'd be working together like this. That we'd get this close. _I felt my face heat up. Then, for some reason different memories fluttered into my thoughts, particularly a recent one involving Steven hugging me, and how I never thought someone so distant and generally cold was actually so warm and capable of comforting someone, least of all me, and- "Ow!" Suddenly the front of my foot caught on a bump in the stone, causing me to stumble and slip. Catching myself as quietly as possible, I paused, a sigh escaping my lips. _No! Not that kind of close. We're not even close. Just… working together. And you're the idiot that started bawling _in his house_, _I reminded myself, shaking my head and picking out another tunnel.

No, after the memories stopped working as stress therapy and I ventured further into the caverns, it was something indescribable that was lurking in my mind. The presence was similar to the pain from before and so was most likely the Blue Orb's influence again, but it was calmer, like a soft wind, the breathing of someone in a deep slumber. The small, uneven tunnel I was in was dark, wet, and cold all the same, but from the sudden feeling I could only come up with one conclusion.

_It's close._

I stopped, leaning against the wall to take a few long breaths. It was cool against my back and I didn't realize how hot I'd got just hiking through the place, and the moisture clung to the few loose strands of hair below by bandanna. The weight of the situation once again settled in, creating a heavy, swirling feeling of fear in my stomach. I considered the outcome. Undoubtedly, Archie saw me coming. Planned for me to come. Would be able to counter me. But all I could do was try.

I sighed through my nostrils and the noise echoed through the tunnel. Then, in one movement, I pulled out the Pokenav, found a number in Match Call, and brought the device to my ear. The screen's pale light illuminated the wall across from me and as the phone rang I watched a drip of water slowly make its way through the maze of tiny nooks formed ages ago.

After a few rings the line clicked and a familiar, low, but also tired-sounding voice sounded through the small speaker. "_Hello_?"

"Hi, Dad… It's me, May."

There was a long pause, and the sound of footsteps, maybe a door closing, and then he spoke up again. "_May…?" _Another pause. I slid down the side of the wall, sitting on the damp floor, brow furrowing. "_Are you okay?"_

"Yeah," I replied, not entirely a lie, at least. "How is Mom?"

"_May? I didn't get that. What?"_

"How is Mom? Is everything okay over there?" I said, dispelling the tingle of frustration.

"_She's fine. We're fine." _Another pause. _"We miss you though, May. She wishes you would call."_

I sighed, the words being a clear indication that he was over the argument we had, for the most part. I'd thought about what to say time and time again, lately, and thanks to that the words came out clear and without hesitation. "I'm sorry, Dad. I am stupid, and I'm still immature, and I should have handled things better, and I see that now. And… I know you were just trying to keep me safe and keep the family safe, and I feel horrible for getting mad over something like that… When you gave me permission to leave with a Pokemon and travel that didn't include anything like this and I'm sorry. I'm even sorry for giving you a hard time when I was little… I just… was always frustrated I couldn't have a Pokemon like everyone else, and I didn't stop to see the other side of things…"

"_Now, May-"_

"But," I interrupted, the words still hanging on my tongue, "I also think I was ready to become a trainer, and even after thinking over things again and again I think I'm doing the right thing. Yeah, I got in way over my head, and I thought I could do anything with Pokemon even if I didn't admit it, and I didn't realize… that somehow Team Aqua would find our house… I feel so terrible about that and about not calling more… but regardless of how… stupid I was, I'm going through with this because I'm not that immature anymore, and no matter what you think I'm not that little girl who went fishing for Gyarados in a thunderstorm and tried to fight off burglars. I'm not just doing it because I think it's right or because I want praise or something. Other people think I'm doing the right thing and other people need my help, and believe me when I say that no one else would have done what I've done so far, and if I didn't step in all those times… I don't want to think about where Team Aqua would be." I hesitated, biting my lip, deciding whether or not to admit just where I was at the moment. "I'm about to confront Archie right now, or at least I think, and I'm going to keep doing my best to stop them, because now that they've messed with my family there's no way I'm gonna forgive them."

I only had a few seconds to let my speech sink in in my own ears before he spoke up again. "_May, I can't… understand most of what you're saying, it's all muffled and garbled, where are you? I can tell you're sorry and I want to tell you that I'm the one that should be. I've been overprotective and unfair to you. I never wanted to push away my own daughter from Pokemon or from her own family. I'm not going to demand forgiveness and I'm certainly not going to tell you to come home right now. Your mother and I just need time to recognize that you're independent now, but she's doing a better job than me, now isn't she?" _There was an uneasy laugh from him. "_In any case, I just wanted to make sure you're okay, May. If the connection is poor… you must be over near Sootopolis or Mossdeep, now... That's good. I'm proud of you."_

I sighed, blinking away unshed tears that were warm against my eyelids. "T-thank you, Dad. I guess the cell phone reception this far underground just isn't good at all…" I steeled myself and got back to my feet, already feeling stronger. "Anyway," I added in a more urgent tone, trying my best to speak clearly despite how quiet and empty the cave was, "make sure you and Mom are home tonight and safe, Dad. Something dangerous could happen and I want to warn you beforehand. And don't worry about me, I'll be okay."

"_What was that about something dangerous? Call back when you're closer to a Pokemon Center, May,_" responded my father, a breath of frustration not at his daughter but at the Pokenav itself following the words. "_Remember, we do love you, and we just want you to be safe on your journey, May. … Well, goodbye."_

I didn't bother saying bye back, knowing that it would probably just be a garbled mess and hung up the line as soon as I heard the other end click off. I chomped down on my chapped lip, staring at the Pokenav, before shoving it into a pocket and moving towards my destination. What had seemed like such a stressful conversation had been so easy, and even if I'd probably have to regurgitate some of it later when I actually had service, it was nice to have solved things. Relieving. It got rid of a problem I didn't know was clogging my senses and making more stress in an already stressful Pokemon journey, and now that that was out of the way I could focus on the real issue.

_Archie…_

After only a few steps through the puddles the tunnel opened up to another chamber much like the rest and the tinging feeling made itself more apparent. The cavern stretched out unevenly, with stalactites lining either side like the teeth of some primordial beast. In the center of the dim clearing was a pool of deep, black water, still enough to be mistaken for an endless hole in the ground. The place was, thankfully, clear of Aqua equipment; the last blue banner I'd seen had been plastered onto a pillar two or three caverns back. I lit up. _I made it. I beat Archie here…!_

My body seemed to move on its own as I descended towards the pool. The quietness of the cavern was really getting to me; my ragged breath and the squeak and scuffs of my running shoes against the ground were all the more apparent now.

Just as I reached the water's edge, and was able to get a good glimpse into the pool that seemed to be shrouded in darkness, there were footsteps from a nearby tunnel, followed by grunts and shouts. I barely had time to tear my gaze away from the sight before _he _was there, his powerful legs able to move him to my side in just a few strides.

"Hold it," hummed Archie, stopping beside the pool's edge. His face was noticeably more worn looking, with dark rings beneath his eyes and faint lines along his bronze features, showing he was very clearly suffering from a lack of sleep, or perhaps it was the Red Orb's effect on him? His back, and his massive shoulders, at that, were also hunched some. But despite this all, Archie still had that infallible glow in his black orbs and as he looked me over his lips curved into a predatory smirk.

"So persistent, to have kept following me after all this time," he continued. "Though how were you able to find this cavern, I wonder?"

I merely frowned and took a few steps away from the man. Slowly I reached one gloved hand into my bag and drew out a Pokeball. _This is it._ I wasn't about to let Archie catch me off guard. "I could say the same of you."

The Aqua leader crossed his arms and scrunched his great brow in thought. "The same of me, eh…?" Then he blinked, throwing his head back up and chuckling. "No, don't tell me – you worked together with that kid Steven?"

I tried not to waver, but clearly something on my face gave it away because Archie's whole body began to heave in a chortle.

"Hah! Imagine that. No wonder Maxie's had such a shit time, huh? And here I thought I'd scared he and his old man off. Then again…" He brought up one hand to stroke his beard. "Oh, I see, now. You first foiled our plans when we were acquiring the Devon Goods, is that right, ya scamp? Heheh… Neither of you were ever any threat to us alone, but together, maybe…"

I tensed. _Why is he so calm? No, it doesn't matter. I have to stop him. Now. Before he tries anything, or backup comes. _Without any warning I whipped my arm in front of me and out came Mightyena, snarling and raring for battle, its black coat shimmering even in the dim light.

Archie looked us over again with that bored expression, and then reached into his own jacket, the silver chain around his neck jingling. "An interesting thought, but none of that matters anymore. No one can stop me now." All of the sudden the man's face then screwed up into a wicked grin and widened eyes, and with the hand not clutching a Pokeball Archie gestured out to the pool to my right. "BEHOLD!"

My gaze followed his outstretched arm back into the water. It didn't appear any different, but a sickening uneasiness at Archie's behavior was eating at my mind and so I squinted, trying to peer beneath the still surface, beyond the shroud.

Sure enough, there was a silhouette lurking there. Perhaps it was the angle I was looking from, but it suddenly became very clear. A massive silhouette drained of any color, shape impossible to make out. Goosebumps crawled across my skin, not from the cold air but from a swirling murk of unease that seemed to float up into my throat and constrict my breathing. At Archie's gesture, the water stirred, just barely.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" The man's tone had changed drastically, now soft and reverent. "The sleeping form of Kyogre… that such a legend could exist before us…" I felt his powerful gaze fall on me but was unable twist my neck and return it, too caught up by the creature that was just barely out of sight. "Are you humbled, May?" His voice was barely a whisper now, and I heard him step closer, feet splashing on the moist rock beneath us. "Do you finally see now? Mankind had made mistakes, yes, mistakes necessary to our growth, but we've long since passed the point of no return, where our meddling…" The downcast expression on Archie's face was uncharacteristic of him, making him look like a battle worn veteran. "Our meddling has caused irreparable damage to this world. I'm taking matters into my own hands, scamp, and this… this Kyogre is the means to that end. I can expand the sea at a whim, bring life back to areas long since destroyed…"

Suddenly Archie was upon me, reaching for my shoulder with one massive hand and something inside me clicked, and I lashed out, hitting his arm away. "No!" I held my chin up and let my anger, pent up as it was, be fully shown in my expression for once. My fingers, shaky as they were, curled tightly against my gloved palms. "You're wrong, Archie… To go this far… This is… this is…" Unable to find the word, I tugged at my bangs, trying to gather my thoughts. _There's no arguing with him. Absolutely not. There wasn't from the beginning. I can only fight._

"Mightyena!" My voice sounded much sharper than I'd ever heard it, as cold as the air surrounding us.

Archie stepped back and countered with his own Dark-type in a clash jarringly similar to that of our battle on Mt. Chimney.

_I can only hope it'll turn out better_.

"So be it," Archie's voice echoed through the chamber, low and lacking the reverence it'd possessed just moments ago. He had resumed his spot at the other end of the pool, and a shadow had fallen over his gray-ringed eyes. Aside from the sounds of our Pokemon the cavern was otherwise completely silent, reminding both of us that we were in an environment contrasting starkly with that of our last battle; far, far under the sea, in a terrain that was primal in every sense of the word. A place untouched by humans. "I've waited years for this day, gone through hell and back to get here. You're not about to stop me, scamp. No one is. I've had enough. For our dream to come true, you must disappear."

* * *

For so, so long, cold was all Kyogre had known. It slept, soundlessly, without a single movement, in its cavern in the most shrouded recesses of the sea, for so many eras that many of the species living above simply forgot of its existence, for so long that time itself became a blur and the beast slipped into something very, very close to death. The activities of the ones above itself were not known by the Pokemon. How, since it had slumbered, they had advanced as a civilization, how drastically the world had changed, and especially how much interest certain individuals had in the power Kyogre possessed; all of these were unknown to it, though were it conscious of them it wouldn't care. It was not blissfully unaware, but merely sat in that vegetative state, frozen but not quite, so corpse-like that even the color had long since drained from its huge, aquatic body. It had weakened. The only presence the beast was aware of, in the very back of its primal conscience, was that of its counterpart and enemy, Groudon, the behemoth, the master of the land, he who brought fire and death. But Kyogre was, in this state, aware of its presence alone; it was not aware that the Pokemon had been revived just recently, _very _recently for a beast thousands of years old. It also, therefore, sensed the very near presence of the dormant Red Orb, clawing at its mind like a pest.

When its cave was broken into, quite literally, it hardly felt the quakes that rumbled through the cavern. But here, at the foot of Kyogre's resting place, the legendary Pokemon was in fact aware of the battle raging on ahead of it, and of the unseen clashing of two energies strong enough to rouse it.

The two humans – small, fleshy creatures that in Kyogre's active years become its prey more often than not, as they were inexperienced in the water – faced off close enough to the pool that should one of them slip or stumble, they'd fall in. One possessed the Blue Orb, the other the Red Orb; this was all absently noted in the back of the beast's mind, and after that observation became boring to it it put aside the presence of the humans. But nonetheless they fought, wildly, before the leviathan. Two beast Pokemon snarled and tore at each other and eventually both fell in a sad display; then they flashed out of existence and were replaced with two more, a sturdy Dragon-type and an agile, offensive bat, and their battle was less intense and more calculated, which took a lot from the hotheaded humans commanding them. Following these were a Water- and Dark-type that made the one possessing the Blue Orb immediately more on edge, and a frail but ancient Pokemon that, through the power and pure tact of its trainer, was able to topple the Red Orb bearer's monster.

The willpower of the humans was unmatched. The Red Orb bearer held resolve like no other, ambitious resolve that fueled his heart and soul, that was borderline fanaticism. However misguided he may or may not have been by the reality of the world he'd been unable to face with, he had carried the artifact longer than no other without giving in to total possession. The bearer of the Blue Orb was an enigma in herself, young and still finding herself but carrying good intentions, possessing a different, more pure type of resolve. That one of her upbringing, of her mental strength and skill in battle, had somehow ended up on the path that had led her here was near impossible, and she seemed conscious of this. This, perhaps, is an example of what many would call destiny. However much she fought against it and in spite of the voices that fought against fate from both outside and from within, she ended up here, in the presence of Kyogre.

Somehow these humans with these combined qualities were able to stand and fight while conscious of the unfathomable creature resting below their tiny feet, and perhaps were unaware of the catastrophe that it had brought before and would soon bring again. And so here the two figures stood, facing off in a damp, dark cave at the bottom of the sea, with no witness but the slumbering Kyogre, both fighting to both create and prevent an event that nearly the whole world was ignorant of. It was hardly a heroic scene.

Far above, at the surface, just as another human aware of the oncoming disaster had noted, the world was calm and relaxed. Gym Leaders were making their commutes back to their not-so-tightly knit families, Professors were burying themselves in research and notes, corporate presidents bumbling about their daily business with a heavy brow.

None of this mattered to the two humans sitting in the maw of Kyogre, and they fought to the end.

* * *

As Sharpedo's ragged form, drained completely of energy, shimmered and disappeared into its ball, I very cautiously took a peek at Archie. It was difficult to make out the details in his face, the crevices and imperfections, in the dim lighting, but when I met his eyes he had once again a completely different air to him than his intense persona he'd adapted during the fight.

Before I could even finish my thought, a rumble rose up in his chest, accompanied by a slight shiver in his large body, and it quickly escalated to a loud, heavy bellow that blanketed every crack in the cavern floor. His chest heaved with each laugh and his eyes became two white widened slits in his otherwise dark form. When his laughter peaked at something borderline hysterical it died down as suddenly as it had begun and he approached me.

I didn't have to tell myself to stand my ground. I glared up at the man from behind my bangs, the soggy feeling of both anguish and pity sitting in my chest. _It's over._ I repeated the words to myself as Archie's expression took another turn. _It's over. It's over. Why… Why can't I feel happy about this? Because of how Archie threw his life into this goal? What's this nagging feeling? Like déjà vu? _I barely kept one hand from moving to my side and twisting the skin there. _This anxiety in my chest…_ Before I realized it I was staring into the pool again, at that off-black silhouette lurking just below the surface.

"Commendable," purred Archie, crossing his arms. "Perfect! A hero such as yourself… You oughta have the strength and capability to get this far. To carry the weight of the world, and save it… Hahahahaha!"

I felt deflated as I looked the manic man over. "Give up, Archie," was all that I could muster. "…It's over. Just give up."

He sobered. _"_No…" came the Aqua boss's response, deep and immediate. "I can't give up. I won't. Never."

When Archie's signature sneer returned to his face and I saw him reach beneath the folds of his black shirt, I realized my mistake in not acting him sooner. In _apprehending_ him.

"_Your work means nothing. It's you who shoulda given up, a long, long time ago. And it's not my fault you're gonna pay the price now, scamp. Did you forget I possess the Red Orb? Did your meddling with Maxie really distract you that much?"_

By the time an already battle-worn Blaziken had exploded from its ball it was too late. Not that even constraining the man could stop him; if defeating him in battle would not crush his will, nothing would, perhaps not even if threatened with harm. My mouth flew open in protest and let out a cry and I stumbled forwards before realizing the inevitability of it.

_"With the Red Orb, all of my dreams will be realized. I _will _summon Kyogre… My life means nothing to the cleansing of the world. I WILL summon it and I WILL repair everything, revert everything… Back to the beginning…!"_

The object was so similar and yet so radically different to the Blue Orb. It had the same perfect spherical shape and the same luster that interrupted your thoughts and drew in your attention, but the color was as deep and red as a ruby.

Archie pumped one muscular arm into the air, stepping to the very edge of the pool, and before even he had finished the movement it exploded with light. I flinched and reached desperately for Blaziken's Pokeball, recalling it as soon as my fingers snaked around the device. Before I could stuff the object away, though, accompanied with the red light was a pain that seemed to split my skull in two. My sharp wail mingled with the terrible sound of Archie's renewed laughter, and for at least ten seconds my only coherent thought was _GET OUT OF THERE, GET OUT OF THERE, GET OUT OF THERE! GET OUT OF THERE! _But my body's only response was to fall to its knees.

_"Yes… YES! AWAKEN! Answer my call, Kyogre!"_

Behind what little darkness my eyelids provided the crimson light strengthened even more, and with it the pain. Archie's maniacal chuckling sounded bizarre too, like screaming mixed with forced laughing, though it may have just been my own swimming head distorting the noise.

Then a third sound joined the chorus; the swirling and crashing of water. Digging my teeth into the inside of my cheek, I pried open my eyelids, and in the sharp, red lines and black shadows created by the orb's light I could make out the upset pool, and in the center of it the massive, curved form of what would be daring to call a Pokemon. Bits and pieces of conversations surrounding this thing, this _myth_, circled through my mind again and my heart felt as though it were completely afloat in my chest.

The Red Orb's light quickly faded, bringing the cave back to its usual dim atmosphere drained of color. From the corner of my eye Archie lowered his hand after some hesitation.

Kyogre sat in the water, as still as it had been before. A gasp escaped my lips when my gaze made it to the front of the Pokemon.

Its eyes were open.

Two very, _very _familiar yellow rings, shiny but also surrounded by faint wrinkles in the Pokemon's smooth, leathery exterior. Around it, the color of Kyogre was turning from the lifeless gray it had been. Its upper half deepened into an azure nearly identical to that of the Blue Orb, while its underside, though barely visible due to the Pokemon still being half submerged in the pool, turned white and luminescent. If the sheer size of Kyogre wasn't intimidating alone, it was its ancient eyes, or the near perfect curvature of its aquatic body, or the teeth – _teeth, _not baleen – that were just barely visible along the inside of its long, irregular mouth, or the thin, glowing red lines that snaked across its form and disappeared into the water like intricate tattoos.

And the glowing only intensified, more and more until it seemed to possess the same intense light that the Red Orb had moments ago. I felt frozen in place, and a few steps away Archie was, as well. _Kyogre…_ I couldn't even assemble a thought on the Pokemon, only look on as its appearance continued to change and the process of its awakening played out.

I hardly had time to take the sight in and grasp what kind of primal creature Kyogre truly was. Suddenly the water began to stir again, furiously around the Pokemon, and the cavern around us tremored, too. I stumbled, shaking myself from the daze, still watching Kyogre as rage sparked to life within its sharp yellow eyes. The swirling came to a climax, stirring even the water beneath our feet, and Archie and I both instinctively took a step back. Then, with one screeching, terrible cry, Kyogre moved. On either side of it, two fins similar in width to a school bus lifted from the surface, then with a clap they slammed back down. A pillar of water erupted around Kyogre, sprayed into the air, and then smacked recklessly back against the cavern floor, and just like that the beast was gone.

My muscles remained tight and motionless as I stared at the spot Kyogre had occupied, watching the shifting waters settle from their fury.

"What-…"

Archie's voice was constrained, muted even. He was in a similar position as I, the arm clutching the Red Orb now hanging limp at his side.

I watched his reaction, though I wasn't sure why; a mix of curiosity and wanting to take my thoughts off of what I had just witnessed.

When the man spoke again there was anger, frustration in him, his back muscles tensing. "Where… Where did it go? The Red Orb… Kyogre… I didn't… I only awakened it. Why did it… Why did Kyogre…" He stared into the pool, and for a moment I thought he'd dive in. Archie grumbled, bringing up his free hand to clutch his forehead, wrinkling the blue Aqua bandanna. "I don't understand… The Red Orb should have allowed me to control it, to order it, not just…"

_"Archie, sir!"_

The words were muffled, crackling, and I was baffled until Archie pulled a radio receiver from his pocket. He stared at it for a moment.

"_Sir!"_ The cry was loud and urgent.

"Shelly," replied the man, "what is it?"

The receiver came on again, though for a few seconds nothing came through but noise. "_Archie, it… My report. I-it's raining out here. It's pouring. I'm trying to get everyone back to the sub…"_

"Oh?" Archie kept his back turned to me but his shoulders visibly relaxed. "Good! That's what's supposed to happen, Shelly. I've successfully awakened Kyogre. The storm should accelerate our plans of expanding the sea, and…"

_"No, sir, it's worse! It's-" _Suddenly the line was interrupted by a huge sound, one that could have easily blown out the small device's speakers. _Thunder?_ "_It's… Sir… it's worse than I ever imagined… I…" _Her voice, as strong as it had to be for the words to be heard over the droning of the rain, wavered. "_It's terrible. There's no way this is what you planned for, Archie… It's… We have to evacuate…"_

"What?!" the word boomed across the otherwise quiet cavern. Despite the temperature a bead of sweat rolled down the side of my face. Archie stumbled backwards, letting out a low growl. "What do you mean? This is what we _wanted, _Shelly! To summon Kyogre and-"

"_Archie, I'm telling you as both your advisor and as someone who shares your belief, this is _far worse _than you predicted!... Stay together, everyone! Stay near the sub!... Sir, our lives are in danger! Your life is in danger- you need to get out of there!" _I was so accustomed to hearing Shelly's voice as smooth and smug that hearing her in such a state of panic was jarring.

The Team Aqua leader was quiet for what felt like a long time considering the situation, holding the radio a few inches from his beard, his body as still as a statue. So many questions were sitting at the tip of my tongue, furious, making my blood boil; _What are you _doing?! _Why are you just standing there? Don't you realize what you've done? Don't you care about the safety and well being of the rest of Team Aqua, or are you too demented and set on destroying mankind that you don't give a shit?! _No words left my throat though, and for the first time in a while I felt completely and totally paralyzed by fear.

"T-this is… what was supposed to happen, wasn't it…? All of that research, my work…" Archie brought a hand to his chest, where I presume the Orb was resting in a pocket. "But then, why… Why can I not control it…? The Red Orb should have…"

There was another moment of silence and I concentrated on my own breathing to try and clear the fuzzy haze that was filling my mind, to draw myself back into reality. _I need to get out of here…_ The thought started up again.

Finally, Archie moved, straightening his back and casting a wary glance in my direction. He brought the radio back to his face, shouting, "Shelly, hold your positions and keep an eye out while everyone's loaded onto the sub. I-I'll be there shortly…"

"_Archie! _You utter fool!"

The powerful, nasal voice of Maxie was easily distinguishable in the quiet that followed Archie's command, and the large man turned to face his adversary as he descended towards the pool, flanked by two hefty Magma grunts. As he reached us, his dark eyes flicked to the water and widened slightly, and though his expression remained stoic I picked up on how the pale hands folded behind his back tightened and his knuckles grew white. "You… You did it, then… You awakened Kyogre…" The words were dripping with resentment and I followed his gaze over to Archie, who wasn't meeting Maxie's glower and was instead staring at the radio in his massive hand.

"Do you _realize _the weight of your actions? How foolish your goal of expanding the sea is, now? To go this far..." Archie remained silent at this criticism, like a dog semi-aware of its actions and its guilt. Maxie grew angrier at the lack of response, taking another step forwards, but his curled fingers remained constrained behind his back. "You'll drown the whole damned world, Archie! Expanding the sea – _humans and Pokemon _need _land_ to live! Maybe _now _you'll see how misguided you've been! Should Kyogre's downpour continue for all of eternity, then what? Will you be happy once you've brought us back to the prehistoric ages? What is the good in that? How can mankind progress in such conditions? The land will flood…" Maxie paled at this realization. "The land…"

Archie snapped, stepping towards Maxie and holding up one arm defensively to his broad chest. "I don't know what you're whining about, Maxie! You don't understand – you never understood because you were so far behind us. The Red Orb can control Kyogre," he said with such a confident air, yet having witnessed what had just happened I knew Archie was aware that he was telling a lie. "_I _can control it and I will use it to repair our mistakes, as humans, where necessary…"

Maxie's sharp jaw twisted as he grinded his teeth. "I won't let you, Archie, you fool! Perhaps you should see for yourself what you've wrought and return to the surface. Witness Kyogre's power. You're the one making the mistake here."

Archie shut his mouth and glared at the ground, choosing once again to avoid the furious red-haired man's gaze. When Maxie turned on me I couldn't stop myself from flinching and taking a step back. The memories of the Space Center flooded my head once more and I could feel a snarl forming in the back of my throat. This rational, berating man towering over me was nothing like the smug, calculating one I'd fought against that time. Was it an act? An act, just like the one pretending to be my ally had been?

I opened my mouth, about ready to spit out a stream of curses at the Magma boss, but he spoke first, his words heavy and impenetrable. "Now is hardly the time for quibbling, child." Just like that, Maxie turned his back to me, and to Archie, and began to stride back towards the cavern he'd come through. "I suggest you hurry to the surface. Both of you."

My hands began to shake involuntarily and I shoved them into my pockets before hurrying after the snakelike man. I felt numb, both physically and mentally. Paralyzed. Archie's features, distorted in trepidation, did nothing to comfort me, and neither did Maxie's stiff, red-coated back, the loud color an out-of-place eyesore amongst the drained setting of the seafloor cavern. No, there was no comfort here, only an atmosphere so heavy with despair that I felt like I could choke, and somehow this atmosphere allowed for the leader of Team Magma, the leader of their adversary, Team Aqua, and a meddling young trainer opposing both of them to walk in an uncomfortable peace. With a sickening feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach, I followed Maxie closely, and behind me I heard the uneven scrapes of Archie's own feet against the floor.

_What now?_

* * *

**A/N: **To answer some questions, there won't be primal reversion in this since there's that whole multiverse thing and technically mega evolution doesn't exist in RSE etc. etc…. but I still have some twisty stuff up my sleeve.


	40. Dusk

**A/N:** This one is brief, especially compared to the monster that was 39. And just like I've been thinking, May (or Steven) actually don't show up in this one at all. It's partly inspired by ORAS's little cutscenes, like "where were the other characters during all this?"

* * *

**Chapter 40 - Dusk**

Warm, saffron light poured in from the long windows of Hoenn's Weather Institute as the work day came to a close. Aside from a brief and very routine storm passing through the middle of the region, the past week had been uneventful. Some of the scientists could be caught mentioning the hot weather, which was a little unusual for this late in the summer, but that was merely complaining and not an actual environmental concern. Many of the interns and newer employees had already packed up and headed out – it was a rough trip by jeep back to Fortree, and many, even, commuted from apartments Lilycove or Mauville. Everyone was excited for the weekend, to return to their families, and – for the coastal dwellers – to hit the beach. The veteran scientists lingered though, in no real rush, enjoying the sunset over the lush wilds that surrounded the building for miles. Outside, it was humid and hot and sticky, but that was barely noticeable in the cool, dry atmosphere of the Institute.

It'd taken a little while to clean up after the incident with Team Aqua, and the authorities had been skeptical towards their accounts of the situation, even refusing to track down the villains for their abduction of important data. The attack had given Aqua little more than some infamy. But their actions were all but forgotten by the crew, and security had likewise tightened.

Off in a side room, a younger woman with short, straight brown hair was finishing up her work. She was a meteorologist, one of many in the Institute, monitoring Hoenn's overall weather data from multiple brightly-lit monitors built into the gray walls. They all displayed different sections of the region and a radar of current conditions. A Hoenn weather map was very interesting and dynamic, but only to one familiar with the field of study. The humid air on the east, and dry air on the west, tropical climate, and presence of a very active Mt. Chimney all made some interesting phenomena and, to say the least, Hoenn did not have normal weather patterns.

Because of this, the woman did not feel surprised when she noticed a sudden, sizeable blotch of green spark up on the region map. She packed her purse away with the rest of her belongings and then, out of curiosity, rolled her chair across the tile to a monitor depicting a closer look at the area the blotch was in – the middle of the ocean.

Gradually, her curiosity grew and with it, wariness began to manifest. She adjusted her glasses and rang a bell that signaled for one of the head scientists to come take a look.

After a few minutes – the day had ended and so everyone was moving slower than usual – the director himself showed up, raising one brow at the meteorologist.

"What is it? Bad storm forming?" he asked, walking up to the monitor she was seated by.

"You could say so…" muttered the woman, her face scrunching up. "But it's on the ocean, and relatively strong." She fiddled with a few buttons on the keypad below. "It… honestly looks similar to a typhoon, but it's not moving very quickly."

The director hummed. "Probably nothing serious, but I'll call up a few people anyways to give 'em a heads up and tell them to keep an eye on it. I'll be back in a minute. You don't mind staying a little longer, do you?"

The meteorologist shook her head, and with that the director was gone. She eyed the monitor again, lips curving into a frown. It was certainly bizarre at how unprecedented the rainstorm had been. Now, flecks of yellow and orange had appeared in it, too. All so quickly…?

In a few minutes the director returned to find the younger scientist appearing much more befuddled, her hands clicking across the keyboard, eyes flicking from monitor to monitor. "What's up…?" he asked, a hint of worry in his voice now.

"It… it's gaining strength. So quickly. I don't even know how it formed, sir, since there are no major fronts in that area and the conditioning is all wrong…" She pointed one painted nail towards the middle monitor, which was also the largest, and tapped her finger against the glass. "See?"

A blocky depiction of Hoenn as a whole was in this one, dark green, with the ocean surrounding it a dark blue. Scattered across the region were little blotches of rain and clouds, all lining up with the recent cold and warm fronts and wind direction. Then, the veteran scientist's eyes landed on the worry spot, a big mass of green and yellow that didn't waver as the radar moved back and forth. It had grown, not just in size but in strength, with flecks of red close to the center. The more he thought about the weather reports he'd read the past few days, the more of an anomaly this thing seemed to be, and so his eyebrows creased together and his grip on the swivel chair tightened.

"No, you're right," he muttered grimly, rolling up another chair. "This… isn't normal." With his other hand he flicked on a radio, calling for a few names to join him in the radar room, and with his other he fished into his pocket and dialed the number for his contact with the Hoenn News Network.

_This can't be good._

* * *

"Ahhhh… Thanks for the food!"

Pokemon made Brendan happy. Being with them, studying them, making new discoveries about them all appealed to him. Spending time with his family and battling his rival made him happy. But his favorite thing – that had to be eating. The boy sat back, propping himself on his arms, and grinned. "I never realized how good Johto cooking was!"

"I should definitely pick up some of your recipes," commented the older Birch, setting down his bowl of noodles and giving two thumbs-up. "It wouldn't hurt to spice things up our household now and then!"

"I think you should leave the cooking to someone else, Birch…" came Norman's sly remark, earning himself an eyeroll and a playful elbow in the side from his wife.

"We appreciate the compliments, you two! As usual, come over any time, I'm happy to throw something together!" The woman beamed, getting to her feet. Her husband did the same, going around and collecting the bowls.

"I'd love to hang out and chat with y'all, but I've got some work to finish up with in the lab, I'm afraid," said Birch as he pulled himself to his feet and brushed off his shirt. "Your May is still raking in loads of Pokedex data for me to research!"

"Not as much as me, tho-" offered Brendan, before getting cut off by a heavy hand resting on his shoulder.

"Brendan, why don't you come help your dad?" asked his father, his grip tightening. "I have plenty of papers that need sorting."

"Ow, ow, ow! Okay, okay Dad okay! Geez…"

With a little more bickering and earning some laughs from the couple, the Birch family left the house.

The atmosphere was easier than usual, now that Norman had resolved things with his daughter. Still, he was stressed, running one hand through his hair as he set the dishes into a tub of soapy water to soak and helped to store away the leftovers. "I'm just glad the weekend is here and I have it off. Even with so few challengers at the Gym, there's a lot of paperwork to be done, still."

His wife hummed, placing one hand on his shoulder. "At least everything else is okay. I've got some shopping to do in Slateport tomorrow, so maybe we can have a mini-vacation!"

The man smiled at the thought of relaxing on the beach and, of course, giving his Pokemon a much needed break. "That sounds great."

Slowly the kitchen was cleared out and May's mother moved towards the TV, hoping to catch any news on the Gym Leaders and, ultimately, her daughter, but when she passed over her favorite news channel all they were talking about was the weather.

_"…from the Weather Institute near Fortree City. Once again, they've reported a strange storm that's formed a few miles from Sootopolis City that's gaining strength and may quite possibly be a typhoon. Normally we're able to predict these things, but it appears this one has come on short notice. We're still waiting on details and are learning of the severity of the situation, if there is any, so stay tuned."_

The woman crossed her arms. "A storm over the ocean is hardly strange, especially here. Try living in Olivine City!"

But the news certainly did catch Norman's attention. He paced out from the kitchen to stand beside his wife, unusually stiff, hands still dripping wet from the sink. "What's this?"

"Oh, just some rain out by Sootopolis, dear," chimed the brown haired woman in a carefree tone. The commercials began to run and she moved turn on a lamp, humming as she did so. By now the sun had set and a warm twilight blanketed Littleroot.

Hesitantly, Norman took a seat in his chair, watching the television screen with blank eyes, trying to figure out why this news bothered him.

"Oh!" His wife sat up just as she laid down on the couch, clasping her hands together.. "That's right, you said May is in that area, right? I better call her and tell her to take a day off, unless she wants to get rained on…"

The mention of his daughter put Norman more on edge as memories of the conversation – which had been more bits and pieces of what she was saying, for the most part, being so far away and having such a poor connection – came back to him. The cheery woman fiddled around with her belongings before finding her own phone and calling May.

Nervously, he kept his eyes on her, waiting for a reaction. When his wife's brow furrowed, Norman felt himself tense up even more.

"Looks like she doesn't have service," said the woman with a pout. "Oh, well. I've doted on her enough for now."

Norman looked away, staring at the floor this time. The message his daughter had been trying to relay now began to sound more and more cryptic.

"Leave it on this channel for a few more minutes," he requested in a hushed tone, leaning back in his chair and watching the screen carefully. _This can't be good…_

* * *

The welcoming glow of the Pokemon Center, nestled between two soft, flowery hills was a sight that brought relief to Wally's heart after he had traveled across the sea all day. His face lifted into a smile, and his cheeks were still red from the exhausting hike from the waterfall. Ever Grande City truly lived up to its name.

The young boy wasn't able to contain a yawn and silently berated himself for getting tired so early in the night. _You're a trainer now! You can stay up as late as you want! _Even then there was weariness in his step as he moved towards the Pokemon Center.

As the path curved uphill, among fields speckled with every color of wildflower and buzzing with the faint hum of insects, Wally looked back over the sea that was now just a smudge in the distance. What a long journey it had been. But there was time to mull over that tomorrow – and perhaps time to call his family. He needed a day off, he decided then, brushing a lock of olive hair from his eyes. (He also needed a haircut, apparently.)

Suddenly he paused as his gaze caught on something on the horizon, just barely noticeable in the dark. It was a smudge, slightly more gray and drained of color than the twilit sky. It couldn't be a cloud – there were hardly any clouds out and the weather had been nothing but perfect for the past few days, at least around here. But nonetheless as he turned and focused on the spot it was very much a mass of clouds, and the observant boy was even able to pick up on the occasional flash now and then.

Though it was just a storm, something about it made Wally's stomach turn, so he hurried onwards to the comfortable little building that sat alone in Ever Grande, ready to have a good night's rest.

* * *

The Gym Leaders of Hoenn all reacted in different ways. Roxanne, never one for storms or living on the edge, cooped herself up in her room and buried herself in books, with her Pokenav nearby in case she was needed anywhere. Brawly was the opposite, adamantly readying his most durable surfboard to try and catch any waves the storm might bring by Dewford in the morning. Wattson was immediately suspicious of the news and stayed on guard, but also pondered as he had many times how it may be possible for someone to harness the power of one and turn it into electrical energy. Flannery hardly had a care in the world, living on Mt. Chimney – she do as she always had and watch the rain from afar, lounge around in a hot spring, and be grateful she had nothing to do with the cold, dreary weather. Winona was more wary than ever, being perhaps one of the most informed of the Gym Leaders due to her connection with Wallace and her knowledge of both the Weather Institute incident and, vaguely, the Mt. Pyre one, and what set more anxiety in her normally carefree mind was the fact that she hadn't heard from Wallace in a while. Tate and Liza, having been informed directly by Steven, and after some time meditating, were ready to face whatever was thrown at them, at Mossdeep, and felt unstoppable as long as they were by each other's side.

At some point during that day the thought of May passed all of their minds, aware that the wicked trainer that had blazed through the League challenge was in that same area right now, and those more familiar with her business with Team Aqua even felt a tinge of worry for her. But none of them were totally aware of just what had happened to cause the storm, and what would come.

* * *

**A/N**: Once again THANKS for all reviews if I missed any and for the follows/favs that I can't believe this fic is still getting with ORAS being so far in the past now! S/o to hoennchamps in particular because yall are the best. And s/o to people who don't ship it but still read this and tolerate my sappy ship bias. Anyway this was the one calm/break sorta chapter but we're getting back on track next time. I want to write the next scene as best as I can so bear with me! (Aiming for next Friday tho ;) )

Also if you actually study weather or are knowledgeable about that sort of thing I am so sorry for possibly butchering it in the first part. I know very little about how all that stuff works behind the scenes aside from what I learned in an intro to earth science class lmao. But you get the idea.


	41. Cataclysm

**Chapter 41 - Cataclysm**

The journey back to the surface was a blur to me. We snaked through the tunnels for what felt like days, Maxie, then me, then Archie, silence cloaking us like a shroud. The air was cold and I could only describe myself as numb, both physically and mentally. The Aqua grunts had already all loaded back into the sub by the time we arrived. Wordlessly I followed a cross Maxie onto the stolen vehicle and into the control room, where I stood huddled in the corner trying to sort out my thoughts.

Then there was a crash. _We're back. _The sub immediately began to toss and turn, causing me to lose my balance and fall into Maxie's back. Slowly, I craned my neck up. His neck twisted and then he looked at me with that narrow, pale face, his eyes two dark slits full of contempt, and I stumbled backwards. The jolt of fear was enough to bring me back into reality though, and quickly I moved to exit the sub.

For a while we rocked back and forth in the water and then it subsided some as though the nose had driven into solid ground. Following this, a few of the grunts beside me turned to open the hatch to the sub, and with a metallic groan the hole opened up. Beside me, Archie was watching expectantly, though there was still a glaze over his eyes.

Water immediately began to shower into the sub from the hole, causing everyone to take a cautious step back. Then Maxie was there, standing stiffly beside Archie. He straightened out his red coat and then scowled at his adversary. "Don't just stand there." The words were sharp.

Swallowing, Archie moved to the ladder, and at once all of his subordinates watched. For a second I felt a stab of pity for him, but it quickly faded as his form vanished from the sub.

Maxie stepped forwards next. He appeared to be getting angrier and angrier, like an active volcano, and his appearance reflected this. It may have just been the dull, gray surroundings, but his hair appeared to be a much hotter, fierier shade of red. His eyes flicked over at me for just a moment before he followed suit, climbing the ladder and disappearing behind the hatch.

The grunts exchanged glances and then swerved their gazes in my direction. I took the cue, trying to shake off my nervousness, and placed my hands on the ladder. Even through my gloves, it was cold. Flecks of rain immediately began hitting my skin, but I tried my best to ignore it and get to the top of the sub.

Around me, the world opened up, one completely different from the Hoenn I'd seen before diving to the seafloor cavern.

As far as the eye could see, dark, twisting clouds ran across the sky. They were low, appearing even to touch and mix with the sea in some spots in the distance, and churned terribly. Every few seconds a blotch of light would highlight a small section of the mass, lightning, and in the ten or so seconds I stood there staring, some thunderbolts leapt out of the clouds and pierced the sea below.

The waves themselves were wilder than I'd ever seen them in Olivine. It was as though the entire ocean had morphed into a whirlpool; in some spots they crashed together unevenly, in dissonance, while in others they gathered up into towering waves that rolled across the horizon, visible only by their white caps. The cloud cover had made it nearly as dark as a moonless night out, but the sea's rage was still clearly visible even in the setting.

The noise, however, was the worst. Growing up, the sound of rainstorms passing through had been comforting, a soft pitter-patter on the roof that could coax you into sleep at night. Here it was deafening, like a constant splatter of liquid against pavement, a hissing drone, and so uneven; to my left it was coming down steadily but in my right ear I could hear sheets of rain being spat out by the clouds and slamming into the furious waves.

The rain slammed into my skin as though it were sentient and trying to attack me. Each was frigid, like a tiny cold spear digging into my skin. Within seconds my clothes were soaked through.

On a sandbar just ahead were Archie and Maxie, their silhouettes just barely visible through the mist that the downpour had created, but stood out in the terrible landscape nonetheless. I started towards them. Water ran off of the top of the sub in sheets and I was too clumsy in taking my first step. "A-aah!" My shoe slipped and before I realized it my foot had twisted in a painful way. I was about to cry out when I fell over completely, my side hitting the dull steel of the sub and winding me, and then everything was moving, and I was sliding along the side and when I opened my mouth to call out for help there was another crash, followed by a weightless feeling, and then salty water pouring into my mouth and lungs.

I flailed beneath the surface, panic replacing the numbness in my body. The waves and currents were moving in such a vicious way that it was like I'd completely lost control of my limbs. It was a familiar feeling too, and a familiar surge of fear. I'd experienced it so many times in those dreams, after all. But it was real. The burning of my lungs was something new. Immediately the pictures came back, pulsing though my mind, though crawling presence of the orb wasn't present. That Pokemon – Kyogre, swimming around and around, closing in, the streaks of red, the teeth, it was _real, IT'S REAL, IT'S REAL-_

_I need to get out of here,_ I told myself.

At last, my right hand broke through the water's surface for just a moment and I drove myself in that direction. My muscles were screaming as I pushed myself back up, and as soon as I felt the familiar rain on my skin, I peeled open my stinging eyes, spotted the sandbar, and drove myself towards it, struggling in the massive, dark waves that were shifting around me.

Just as my lungs began forcing out the water and I broke into a coughing fit that interrupted my swimming, there was a familiar nudge at my gut, and a blue fin in the corner of my eye. _Sharpedo._ Dragging me on its nose, the Pokemon brought me the rest of the way to the sandbar and then watched attentively as I coughed up the rest of the water.

After a moment, I met its red orbs, glowing with concern – _weird, coming from a Pokemon like that _ \- and all I could do was reach out a hand to touch its head before recalling it. _Thank you._

The rain continued its assault, and so did a wind I didn't realize had been stirred up, nearly knocking me off of my feet as I struggled to walk towards Archie and Maxie. I fought back, holding one hand over my forehead, grinding my teeth. My hair was dripping and soaking onto my face, with the pieces on the sides whipping into my line of sight, and I pulled them back only to have them fly around again.

Though I was standing within earshot of Archie, he didn't speak in his normally booming voice and I had to strain to hear him. "What… what is this…" The man stood at the edge of the sandbar, waves gnawing at his knees, his normally flowing dark clothes soaked and sticking to his form. Huge shoulders were hunched, arms hanging limp at his side. "What happened…"

Maxie was silent.

With a crack, a jagged column of hot white lightning stretched down from the sky just off to our right, near the sub, and following it immediately was a sound that scraped at my eardrums. I flinched, and saw Archie and Maxie do the same.

"What… this isn't what I wanted… this kind of scene…" Archie's voice was still terribly weak. The wind blowing towards us carried his voice to my ears.

_Is it not, Archie…? _I questioned bitterly, though my mouth wouldn't move to voice the question. _Is this the kind of world you wanted?_

"This rain… you've upset the balance of nature, Archie you fool. The balance of the planet. All along your dream of _expanding the sea_ involved this sort of disaster." Maxie's voice was venom now, cutting through the drone of rain and wind and sinking fangs into Archie's faltering heart. He stepped towards the man and I noticed his hands were now at his sides, curled up into balls, pale with fury. "This must be _stopped_! Surely even you can see that now. This eternal storm will flood the land and drown us all. Humanity won't have a future." His mouth twisted into a furious snarl. "DO SOMETHING! You fool! Before this gets completely out of control and engulfs everything!"

Timidly, Archie stepped back and turned to his adversary. His head tilted in a slight nod, and, still hunched over, walked back towards the sub. His eyes met mine as he passed me and I almost cringed at how full of emotion – regret, fear, but mostly confusion his face was. The man's heavy footsteps faded in with the splattering of the rain.

"Sir, the current is too strong – " _CRASH! _Another lightningbolt cut through the sky nearby. "-we have to pull out, _now!_"

Maxie watched Archie board, then pulled some kind of radio device from a pocket, muttered something into it, and stuffed it away before it was ruined by the deluge. Then he moved his gaze to me and I felt a shiver of uneasiness jolt up my spine.

"May… As you can see," somehow he was still able to speak over the horribly loud storm, perhaps because his voice was so different from the roaring storm; it was slow, calculated, and more deliberate, like the deadly hissing of hot lava running down a mountain. "The worst has occurred. Was I so wrong now? To want better protection for those living on the land? To protecting our future?"

Despite the confidence in his words, he was very clearly at war with himself. The snakelike man's voice had finally wavered, and his brow was knitted together as though his thoughts weren't lined up with what he was actually saying.

Then, in an unsettling gesture, Maxie reached out a hand and placed it on my shoulder. "Us adults have created enough chaos. Archie and I will follow this beast and put an end to this madness. A child like you has no place in this fight." _And never has,_ the words were unsaid, but heavily implied.

With that Maxie moved to the sub that Archie had just been swallowed up into in a few long strides, maneuvered across the top, and dropped through the entrance, which was then sealed shut. Then, to my horror, the vehicle sunk beneath the waves once more.

I stood there, reeling, as the storm whipped across the small islet and tried to extinguish me. For once in my life, I was completely at a loss. What was Maxie saying? How could a storm like this be stopped? If typhoons could be dissipated at the flick of a switch, then numerous disasters would've been averted in the past. But they couldn't. And this wasn't just nature's work – this was a Pokemon's work, a Legendary Pokemon, and Ancient Pokemon that had _shaped the seas of the world. _A terrible beast with razor-sharp teeth that swam faster than any Sharpedo. One that I felt, despite how I'd never encountered it until not too long ago, knew too well.

_Oh, god… _The tempest continued to swirl around me and I couldn't keep myself composed any longer. Amidst the cold water streaming down my face there were a few warm drips, and then I felt my knees hit the ground – shallows, really, as the sea had already risen over the wet sand bar – and I wailed, the noise all but swallowed up by the storm. _No… no…!_ Far above, the clouds continued to swirl, as black and wet as tar. I stared at them until liquid clouded my sight and my eyelids shut. "_No…!"_

The wind picked up and I nearly fell over again. It was getting harder and harder to hold myself in place, to fight against the storm. But what could I do besides get swept away?

Out of the array of sounds one sounded odd. I traced it, tried to block out everything else as I took shaky breaths.

"_A…"_

_ "…May!"_

_…What…?_ _My name…?_

"May_!"_

_That voice is…_ I stood up, coughing at the strong salty taste that still stuck to the inside of my mouth. _It can't be… Steven?_

Sure enough, in the distance was a speck of gray a couple shades lighter than the clouds and fog of rain. _Steven… on his Skarmory…? Here?_ Memories of our conversation flicked through my mind again. _That's right, he's…_

Suddenly there was a white flash, and a bolt of lightning jumped out from the clouds just beside the figure, and for a heartbeat I felt a surge of panic so strong that it was like my chest was going to explode, but then the tip of the spear drove into the ocean instead and a breath of relief escaped me. I clenched my fists at my side and waited as the Skarmory dove down towards the islet and flew past me. Its trainer jumped clumsily off, landing with a splash in the shallows, and immediately approached me.

"May…! What is this? Are you alright?" Steven was wearing another unfamiliar expression; fear, and panic. But it didn't offset me – instead his presence brought a little sanity with him, a little peace to my mind.

"I… I'm fine…" I croaked. "Archie, he…"

* * *

Every muscle in Steven's body locked up as he listened to May's recount of the Seafloor Cavern incident, or at least tried to, over the impossibly powerful storm that raged on around them. As soon as he'd heard of the report on TV he'd begun calling the trainer, only to be met by a lost connection. In a decision that was uncharacteristically reckless of him, Steven had rode right into the mass of clouds atop a very hesitant Skarmory and combed the choppy sea for any sign of May. The panic he'd felt was almost sickening, and doubled when he realized just how terrible the conditions were. _This is worse than I ever could have imagined. And this is only the beginning of it…_

He watched the girl recall the story as layers of rain blew against them. She stuttered and stumbled over words but was obviously trying, clear enough by the trembling fists at her sides. _The orbs had done nothing. _Kyogre was on the loose, completely enraged. It was easy to guess what had happened just by the scenery, but Steven questioned her despite this, knowing it'd at least help her come to.

_May looked terrible._ Her clothes were soaked, her skin a ghostly pale. Accompanying this was a constant tremble in her knees and lower jaw and the obviously shaky breaths she was taking. Her eyes were puffy and pink. _How long was she out here? If Aqua left her here…_ Steven pushed away the thought. He was just happy he'd arrived when he had.

With a start Steven realized she's finished her story. He glanced over the landscape again, scanning every inch of the terrible horizon. Each clap of thunder brought more dread to his heart. _And this is only the beginning… It's hardly gained strength, yet… _"You're right; I don't know how Maxie could even imagine stopping this, but…" he shook his head, fighting back the despair that was clawing at his chest. "If it isn't… Hoenn – the whole damn _world_ – will be flooded, sent back to the prehistoric age. Human and Pokemon alike would all drown…"

May shivered, but appeared to agree. She furrowed her brow and stared at the shallow water that'd risen up over their ankles. _Helplessness. _Steven turned away as another gale of wind tousled his hair into his face. _I know it all too well, May. I'm a master Pokemon trainer and yet I can't do anything to stop this…_

He opened his eyes again, looking to the horizon. There was a particular spot where the clouds were swelling, almost, a bubbling mass of black, and around that area there were flashes of lightning every other second. _That direction… It's… Sootopolis. If anything, I should meet back up with Wallace._

May straightened some and tried to follow Steven's gaze. He shoved his freezing hands into his pockets and spoke up over the rain. "It seems like the storm is centered in Sootopolis, and spreading out from there…" A simple nod towards that spot on the horizon indicated to May where he was talking about.

"Kyogre… must have gone there," she replied. "And Archie and Maxie, too…"

Steven played with the thought. "Why, I wonder…? Was seeing this really all it took to convince them to change their ways…? Maxie… what is he thinking…?"

May turned to the side, folding her arms together. "I don't know. But he seemed furious… No, it doesn't matter anyways." Suddenly she looked Steven in the eye, and the confident glow in the blue orbs had returned. "I- _We'll_ find a way to stop this, no matter what Aqua and Magma decide to do."

A smile almost made in onto Steven's face, but another crack of lightning reminded him that there was no time to be relieved in such chaos, and so he merely nodded. "You're right. No point in standing here and debating over it… We need to take action. Sootopolis seems to be the place to go-" _CRASH!_ The two shivering trainers flinched at another dangerously close thunderbolt. "We'll meet up there, okay?"

May nodded, brushing a few wet strands of hair from her forehead. "Right." He passed on explaining just how to enter the city, as the trainer began pulling out the Devon scuba gear and clearly had researched ahead of time.

Steven absently watched her pull on the equipment and draw out a Pokeball. _So then, this is it. _He pulled his hands from his pockets. They were still clenched. Far above, Skarmory had been circling the area in wait. The trainer eventually spotted the silver Pokemon cutting back through the cover and diving towards him at a terrifyingly fast speed.

With a sigh, he glanced behind him at the trainer, wishing silently that Skarmory was big enough to carry two. "May…" He fiddled with the words, digging his fingernails into his palms. "I know you're just as involved as I am in this whole thing, and I'm counting on you like I always have, but…" Steven shook his head as if it'd help calm his mind. "Please, don't… Promise me you won't do anything too reckless, May. We'll figure this out and you've made more than enough sacrifices already."

She stared at him, head tilting just slightly, before responding. "I won't, Steven. I'll see you on the other side."

Now that the words were off of his tongue, Steven faced the incoming Skarmory and held out one hand so as to grab onto the small harness around its neck. "Okay. I'm flying over to Sootopolis, then – good luck."

As he finished, the Steel-type swooped down, its knife-like wings just inches from the trainer's torso, and Steven caught his hands on the saddle, bracing himself as they were lifted back into the sky.

* * *

Fear swelled in my chest and roared in my ears as I watched Skarmory speed by and pick up its trainer. All around us, the lightning crashed and tumbled through the sky. And he was telling _me _to not be reckless.

"…Stay safe!" I found myself yelling as their form vanished into the thick clouds. _And thank you._

I almost scoffed at the fact that moments ago, I'd been in a fit of despair. No. There was a way to stop this and we _would_. I clenched one trembling fist and held it up to my face. _I've been out here too long. I need to get moving… To Sootopolis._

Ignoring the raging storm, I hurried out to the edge of the sandbar and clicked open Sharpedo's ball. Once again the Pokemon materialized in the waves. With a deep breath, I jumped into the rocking waves, clutched onto Sharpedo's rough dorsal fin with both hands, and motioned for it to dive.

With that one movement, the entire storm vanished and water much warmer than the stinging spears falling from the sky surrounded my body. Somehow, the sea felt peaceful, even with the current tugging at Sharpedo and I. It was dark without sunlight poking through the surface, and the scuba goggles did nothing but keep my eyes dry, but I trusted Sharpedo to guide me in the right direction.

And so we swam, floating through the empty sea with ease. I took long, deep breaths, letting the rising pressure of the ocean calm me instead of cause me more anxiety, and every so often I'd flip open the (thankfully waterproof) Pokenav to make sure we were headed in the right direction. As we neared the Sootopolis marker, the water became more shallow and allowed Sharpedo to swim along the bottom, scaring off wild Lovedisc. It swayed back and forth through a patch of kelp, and, with a huff, I held out my arms and let the soft leaves run through my fingers.

As we rounded another corner, a massive gap appeared in the wall of white rock to our right. I checked the Pokenav again. Sootopolis City – we were right on top of it. Or, beneath it, rather. I was glad to have read about the place in brochures prior. It was a vacation-slash-retreat for many Hoenn natives, housed some of the richest people in the region, was argued to be the region's most beautiful city, and, of course, was built in the crater of an ancient volcano. I patted Sharpedo's side in reassurance and it started up the tunnel, which was much smoother and better lit than the one leading to the Seafloor Cavern.

Once the smudge of lighter water was in sight, I began to hear the roar of thunder again. We passed through the tunnel's exit and entered a larger cavern that I realized, upon looking past the shimmering surface and seeing cliffs, was actually a huge lake. I tightened my fingers around Sharpedo's upper fin again and urged the Pokemon towards the surface, and, with a reluctant growl it swam until we broke through.

The scene that greeted us above water was nothing surprising. There was the same relentless assault of rain, the same gray fog created by the moisture, and the same earsplitting cracks of thunder every few seconds. The lake's water wasn't only choppy, but it was stirring as though someone was running a ladle through it, around and around. The sight was bizarre; as I swept my gaze across the bowl-shaped city of Sootopolis and the pure white walls of rock jutting out from the sea like teeth that had once been the rim of a volcano, the water appeared to be higher the further away from the center one went, like a whirlpool. _Definitely _not normal.

I quickly picked out a shoreline not too far away and had Sharpedo speed towards it – there were three nearby, all decorated with trees and boats and flags that were whipping and flailing in the wind. The water splashed in protest to the Pokemon's movement and as if they were working together, the rain, too, changed directions to hit me in the face.

I began stuffing away the scuba gear, all while trying to take in Sootopolis City in the current setting. _What a great time to visit,_ I thought. But the closer I observed, the more dire the situation appeared to be. Sure, the lake was rocky, but it was the rain that would cause the real problem. Water was being dumped on the city, on every building and every sidestreet, and it was running down into the body in the city's center. Filling it up. It was like being in a damn well, with the only way out being either up through a spiraling mass of thunderclouds, or down through dangerously untamed waters.

_The people here…_ As I reached the shoreline it was already obvious the water had risen a few feet. There wasn't any sand; the water merely lapped at the grass growing on the path that led up to the first set of small, white houses. _How will they escape…?!_

Swallowing, I recalled Sharpedo and hurried up a set of stairs, stumbling in the puddles. I found the nearest house and practically busted the blue wooden door down…

…only to find that it was empty.

Reeling, I exited the house and stumbled about in a circle as I took in the rest of the city, which curved up all around as though it was growing into the sky. Save for a few buildings, every window in the sea of homes was dark, unlit. _Did they evacuate already…?_

I shook my head and reached for the Pokenav. _There's no time to waste. I need to find Steven. But first, I should…_

* * *

A few empty streets and staircases later, I burst through the doors of the Pokemon Center, panting. It was only in the building's cool interior that I realized how chilled I was. Sitting at the desk, of course, was a nurse; a brief, rushed conversation with her revealed that, yes, the city had been evacuated earlier, and that the few who were left were somewhere on the west end of the city, trying to handle the situation. I eyed my own wet clothes and then, still in a rush, forced myself to rinse off and warm up in the hot water of one of the showers. I took the five minutes I gave myself to collect my thoughts, which were still all but a blur. _All I know is that I need to find Steven. I should find him before I do anything else. Together…_ I took one last deep breath and then continued, digging around in my bag for some dry clothes. The only pair I could find was an outfit not too different from my usual one, but different enough for me to never want to wear it – instead of red and black it was orange and green. But they were dry, albeit wrinkled, and didn't stink of sea water.

A little fumbling later and I was out the door, descending back towards the lake, ducking through alleys and buildings to take shelter from the storm. Pelipper could have flown me across, but in this weather would've been swempt away, so it was back to Sharpedo, and kneeling atop the Pokemon's back. By the time we reached the other side, despite all efforts to try and stay dry, I was nearly soaked again, though these clothes were surprisingly water resistant (Mom must've bought them especially for my trip in Hoenn.)

Standing at the shoreline at the other side was, to my relief, Steven.

His face was directed up at the sky, face twisted into something of dread. Water was lapping at his black shoes despite the fact that he was standing on what seemed to be the middle of a smooth staircase that led deeper into the city. _The water has already risen that far…_? Rain dripped from each strand of his spiky hair and from his chin. When I landed in the shallows just a few feet away, the trainer was snapped from his daze.

"May, you're here…! I was looking for you."

I nodded in response, deciding to focus on Steven's disheveled appearance rather than the storm that was so desperately trying to have my attention. However, something else caught my eye, something further up the staircase. It was a man, dressed in nearly all white. He appeared at the top of the steps and started to take a few down before stopping when his eyes met mine. _Who…_

Steven, meanwhile, blinked, and then followed my gaze. "Yes. There's someone I want you to meet, May – a friend of mine." Without further explanation, he started up the stairs, and the man in white moved back up to meet him at the top.

I followed, gazing back out over the town. It _was_ Archie's dream come true. Whatever weather-manipulating abilities Kyogre had, they were _perfect _for Hoenn, and being rooted in Sootopolis, the warm ocean surround it would only better the conditions for a typhoon much stronger than anything that'd ever been recorded. I shivered at the thought of what the news probably looked like right now. _Mom and Dad… Are they watching? Oh, no…_ Just the thought of Littleroot facing something like this was enough to make me feel physically ill. _Brendan and Professor Birch… Is Wally okay…? Ohh…_

Before I realized it we had traveled deep into Sootopolis City and most of my view was now blocked out by the buildings. They clung to the ground just barely, some of them already missing windows, like empty gray husks, barnacles on a rocky shoreline. Trash and debris whipped from street to street in the wind that funneled down between the houses, and, as the group came to a stop, I had to jump out of the way of a large wooden chair tumbling across the cobblestone pathway. We ducked into what had probably been a small streetside market where the howling wind and rain, at least, could not reach us.

Steven, who I'd once regarded as levelheaded and cool, looked like a frightened child next to the newcomer, who stood with one hand on his hip and a calm, if not serious, expression on his rather attractive features. A white cloak covered his body from neck to toe, and it must've been made of a heavy, durable fabric, because it hardly moved in the wind. Atop his head was a similar white beret, covering smooth teal hair that jutted out from either side of his neck like antennae.

I felt my lips curve into a frown all of the sudden. _Do I know this guy…?_

"At this rate… Sootopolis could be washed away within hours…" muttered Steven.

"There is… a way to stop it, as I said," spoke the robed man. His voice was familiar too.

The silver-haired trainer was snapped from his gaze but didn't look directly at me when he spoke. "Yes. May, please hear out my friend here…"

I watched the newcomer expectantly. Likewise, his eyes – teal, the same as his hair, a calming color amongst the chaos of the storm – narrowed.

"You're… oh, that's right! You," he finally said, smirking and crossing his arms. "But of course."

"_You_," I said, the word having a little more bite than I intended.

Steven raised an eyebrow. "You two are already familiar with each other…?"

I started to respond but the turquoise man was faster. "It hardly matters. Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Wallace, the Gym Leader of Sootopolis City."

I stiffened. _Gym Leader? T-this whole time he was…_

Seeing the look on my face, Wallace's smile grew, but he shut his eyes and moved towards the wide window facing the street instead. "I'm also a Pokemon Coordinator and have found success in that career… However… the responsibility that weighs me down the most is my duty to protect the Cave of Origin which exists here, in Sootopolis."

_The Cave of Origin… _I huffed. _That place… I've only heard rumors about it… I think that textbook had a section on it, too…_

"…The source of this storm is, somehow, _inside_ that same place," continued Wallace. "And according to what you told Steven, well… the 'source' would be the Pokemon Kyogre."

I hummed in understanding. _Kyogre…_

He stepped closer, and I noticed that Wallace was at least a head taller than Steven, at a truly imposing height. Outside, more thunder echoed across Sootopolis, followed by a gale of wind that blew in through the window.

"I've also heard a rumor… that you possess the Blue Orb, young May," said Wallace, very clearly skeptical of the fact.

_And… a rumor? From… where? _I shifted my gaze over to Steven, but he had averted his and instead was staring towards the back of the shop.

"I… do," I replied.

"Let me see it," came the Gym Leader's response.

So, I did as told, pulling the artifact from my bag. It was much more active again, not only sparking up that tickle in the back of my head, but also seemingly hot to the touch. _That's new._

Wallace's expression softened as his gaze landed on the orb. Then it tightened again, and he looked at me with something I could've sworn was pity, if only I hadn't known him to be smug. "I see. So it's true. You'll have to forgive me for being so distrustful, but the Cave of Origin is strictly closed off to every soul in Hoenn, and if you were to enter I'd need to see the proof to put my mind at ease."

I blinked, and off to the side Steven swerved around to gape at Wallace. "What?"

The leader nodded but supplied no more, instead striding over to the open door and announcing, "Follow me!"

Steven and I scuttled after him, back out into the tempest, and I looked to him for support, for answers, as Wallace hurried ahead. He met my gaze but then glanced away almost guiltily – _did he know beforehand? – _and then strayed behind some to watch the storm rage on.

Even through the deluge it wasn't hard to follow Wallace's bright form, especially since there wasn't a single soul around. We moved further up through Sootopolis' neighborhoods and then, once we reached the rim, swerved around down a narrow trail wide enough only for one. Next came a series of switchbacks that caused my legs to scream in protest, but, orb still in hand, I moved onwards after Wallace, who must've been used to taking this path. Steven still lagged behind, gazing worriedly at the sky every so often.

At one point we stopped to catch our breath, ducking against the wall to shield ourselves from the rain. Far across the city, a massive lightning bolt darted down from the sky and struck one of the tips of Sootopolis' rim, causing a chunk of stone to split off and tumble down towards the lake. I gulped.

Steven was further up the path some, but I could hear him talking to himself, and so could Wallace, who glanced over at the trainer. "It's just as I thought, but so much worse… Archie was right to recognize how much people and Pokemon depend on water, but… if this storm stretches across all of Hoenn, and beyond…"

"Steven, May," Wallace spoke up, moving off of the cliff wall. "The Cave of Origin is just ahead. Let's go."

Any protest Steven might've been holding was interrupted by another deep rumble of thunder and we both followed the caped man down the rest of the path.

By the time we reached the bottom, where the lake was once again in sight, things had gotten much worse. We appeared to be at a hidden islet in the center of Sootopolis, with two small rivers on either side that ran out into the lake. The grass was a verdant green, then, further back, gave way to pale stone and what looked like a pathway out of ancient times.

The rivers were very clearly beginning to flood, and the lake, normally separated from this place by a waterfall, was now lapping at the edge of the islet. Water – all around, there was water. The grass squelched out water like a sponge, the cold bullets of rain still assaulted us from all directions, the rivers and lake closed in on us… and again the terrible image of Kyogre passed through my mind.

"The Cave of Origin," Wallace spoke up over the storm, stepping closer, and on my left Steven reappeared from the fog. "It's just ahead. It's very likely Kyogre is at rest, in the heart, there."

Both their gazes fell on me and suddenly I felt like I was shrinking, like I could get swept away if another gust of wind blew through the valley. "So… what? I'm going in there…? And then what…?"

As if my thoughts had been read, wind whipped through from the right and Wallace brought up one hand to hold his hat in place. "Yes," he said, voice tighter. "The Cave of Origins is a sacred place, as I said… Even I, as a Sootopolitan, would feel wrong stepping foot in there. But you…" One of his arms emerged from the white cloak, patting my shoulder in a gesture of reassurance that did nothing to make me feel any less ill. "You've wielded the Blue Orb. I have no doubt that it's you who is destined to go down there, and who will be able to stop this."

I stared until another shiver wracked my body and I was forced to look away. "I… fine…" Swallowing, I pushed past Wallace and started down the path. "I'll… go…"

I heard them follow behind me, two pairs of wet footsteps, and for some reason wished they'd wait there, that they wouldn't accompany me to the entrance of the cave, that they'd disappear into the fury of the storm because it was like their presence was keeping me grounded and I didn't want that now. But my body wouldn't do anything but push myself along the path, the huge, stone columns towering over me ominously, and so I remained silent.

When the door came into sight – an object that was once perhaps white but had faded into a dull gray, cracked and tattered by age, with pieces of red paint that resembled the markings along Kyogre's body running through it – I paused. Or rather, it was more my legs stopped without my brain telling them to. The rain swirled around me but even through it, it was easy to spot the two figures standing off to the side of the path, one leaning against a pillar and the other pacing back and forth.

Archie and Maxie.

I didn't approach them, but Archie, who was against the pillar, straightened and took a few steps forward. Maxie, in the background, took a break in his pacing and glared daggers at me. Behind me, I heard Wallace and Steven step closer, almost defensively.

"I…" Archie stopped a few feet away. He looked changed, like a man completely broken. We watched each other for a few seconds as another heavy sheet of rain blew across the valley and a gale threatened to topple the age-old pillars down on top of us. The man gritted his teeth and then whirled around, retreating back to the pillar, hands clenched into fists.

I sighed and squeezed my eyes shut as hard as I could, in some stupid attempt to wake myself up from a terrible dream, and then, steeling myself, stepped up to the door. Despite all of the commotion going on outside, the shape of the door, the enclave within seemed to radiate an unsettling silence and stillness. The way the rocky cliff above was shaped, the rain hardly touched the small section of land in front of the entrance except when tossed there by the wind. My hands twitched at my side and I turned my head back to look to Wallace, desperate for some sort of reassurance.

He and Steven had stopped shadowing me but were still close by, watching with grim expressions. Wallace's teal orbs, narrowed with seriousness unlike the man, met mine. "Go, May. Regardless of what might happen within the Cave of Origin… You must trust the Blue Orb and go." He peered over at Steven and then retreated behind the cover of a nearby pillar, keeping his gaze on the raging sky above.

I inclined my head, feeling a familiar warmth in my eyes. _Why… me…? The Blue Orb…_

"I… never would have guessed you'd have been chosen to carry the Blue Orb, May," Steven finally said, stepping a little closer, cautiously. "But part of me isn't surprised. You are a powerful trainer."

"S-Steven…" I didn't mean to stutter and it felt even worse. "I don't know if I can do this… How can I put all my faith in one stupid orb…?" I took in a sharp breath to try and steady my wavering voice, flinching at the chill that filled my lungs – when did it get so cold? _After all, I've failed so many times before this…_

There was a pause filled with the hissing of the rain before he spoke again and I wondered why he didn't go take shelter inside a building or behind the pillar with Wallace or _something_, instead of standing outside the ancient doors to the Cave of Origin here getting pelted by those ice-cold droplets.

"I… understand it's hard to, but please trust Wallace when he says that this should solve everything." The way his jaw was clenched and his fists shook at his side told me Steven had had his own difficulty accepting the plan himself. "But you have your Pokemon, May."

I blinked, moving my gaze to the uneven ground beneath our feet. Tiny streams of runoff water snaked between the crevices down towards the encroaching lake. There was that brief memory of Sharpedo – the newest edition to my team – breaking itself out of its ball to help me to land back when the storm had first broken out and I saw the truth in Steven's words. Even though he and Wallace weren't accompanying me into the Cave, I still had six Pokemon that were unbelievably loyal by my side.

Steven mimicked Wallace's gesture, placing an unsure hand on my shoulder and mustering up a weak smile. "Whatever happens, with them by your side you'll get through this. I'm sure of it."

Warm tears welled up in my eyes again and I chomped down on the inside of my cheek. _I… I have no idea what he sees in me… all this time.._ But despite the thought I was comforted by the trainer's words, if only slightly, enough to give me the courage to finish the task Wallace had given me. I took a step back, unable to speak and only nodding, and Steven hesitantly let go, his hand drifting down to brush against mine and then he nodded and strode off to join Wallace beneath the little shelter provided by the pillar.

With nothing else to distract me from this sudden fate, I touched the door. It was dry, carrying on that strange stillness that emanated from the cave. Then I pushed, hard, and slowly the massive arched object began to creak inward. When there was a sizeable gap of darkness in the entrance I stepped through, feeling the gazes of the few people left in Sootopolis City on my back.


	42. Discord and Harmony

**Chapter 42 – Discord and Harmony**

Silence blanketed the damp floors of the Cave of Origin, seeped into every crevice in the wrinkly cave walls, dripped from the pale stalactites hanging from the shadowy ceiling. I'd only been walking for a few minutes, and yet it was like the storm outside was nonexistent. Like the whole outside world was nonexistent. Complete, utter silence that made the hairs on my neck rise and caused me to walk on my toes.

I'd only heard rumors and stories about this place.

It was from old folk, mainly, though sometimes trainers or superstitious passersby would also speak of the Cave of Origin. It was mythic – not unlike many other things I'd encountered on my journey. A place of life and death, sacred and ancient. Yet it did not hold the same atmosphere the Seafloor Cavern had. I shivered, remembering the words of an elderly man about how the Cave of Origin was connected spiritually to Mt. Pyre. _No one in Hoenn is permitted into the cave… and yet here I am._ The realization of this dawned on me again and I took in a shaky breath.

By my side was Blaziken, who had popped out of its ball on its own, defensively covering my side, soft, orange flames flicking from its wrists. The cavern's air was dry and dusty, much in contrast to the conditions outside, and we weaved deeper and deeper into the single passage it held as our surroundings grew darker and darker. I looked up at Blaziken as things became nearly pitch black, suddenly realizing how grateful I was for its presence, and I felt my heart warm up. _Despite everything that's happened… I'm so grateful I got to train you and go on this journey._

With the comfort of that thought, I forged onwards, feeling the Blue Orb weigh itself down in my bag once more.

* * *

The scene outside of the Cave's entrance had only worsened.

Rain pounded against the stone pathways, creating a thick, frigid fog across the ground. The water already accumulated licked against the ankles of the four men standing there, who were watching their surroundings with anxiety.

Sootopolis was a crater. A bowl. And it was filling up – fast. To make matters worse, the Cave and the small valley they were standing in were between two rising cliffs, which not only drained runoff water inwards like they were waterfalls, but also stood bare against the power of the lightning that every other second was crackling across the dark sky.

Wallace was ducked against a pillar, his head leaning against the rock and one hand raised against his face to block out the rain. In the other hand was a brightly lit Pokenav that illuminated his tense features in the otherwise dark setting.

After a few moments, he turned to Steven, mouth twisting into a grimace. "This isn't good," Wallace called. "The storm is spreading unimaginably fast. It's already well past Lilycove. The cameras can hardly even get in there and take some shots, and the winds have knocked out power all over…" A blast of thunder prevented the man from finishing his recollection. Steven was rather unresponsive. "…Steven?"

"…Yes, I know…" he at last responded, trying to brush some of his soaking bangs from his face. "It's truly… all up to May, now."

A few feet back, Maxie narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

Wallace's reading gaze remained on Steven for more than a moment, picking up on the glance he casted once more towards the Cave's entrance. "There's no doubt she was meant to go in there and confront Kyogre, if she possesses the Blue Orb…" He looked to ground, stirring the standing water with one foot. Though he did not often show it, Wallace was highly spiritual and his belief in the Cave of Origin legends was solid. "I'm… not sure of the details of the myths, though… The Red and Blue Orbs are still ancient artifacts, after all. I don't know what kind of toll they take, only that they'll be able to quell this storm."

Steven inhaled sharply at this. "I know. I did my research, Wallace… More than enough of it. If this doesn't stop… It's much worse than just a few floods. We could be hurtled into another ice age. But May… you may not see it, but she's special. I do believe she can pull through."

"I'll just have to put my hope in that thought then, Steven," replied Wallace. "For her sake, and for everyone else's."

* * *

Brendan felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched the news report, pulling the blanket around his shoulders and up to his nose. He was tenser than ever before, though being huddled up here with his family watching the news felt almost nostalgic. Hoenn had always been known for its wild weather and bad storms, and in simpler times they'd all get together and watch the reports on the couch in the warm safety of the Birch home, sometimes saying silent prayers for those in trouble. In this way he felt like a kid again, but it was also the sort of raw fear he felt watching the footage replay over and over, the kind that made you feel cold and uneasy.

This storm was different. Even his father didn't have to tell him that. They don't just pop out of nowhere, nor move outwards from the center of a city so… strategically. It wasn't natural. It reminded Brendan vaguely of the time he and May had got rained on on Route 119, which had turned out to be a product of the Weather Institute. And natural storms didn't expand this rapidly, didn't stop in the middle of the ocean and crawl further and further out towards Lilycove and Slateport like a shadowy predator stalking its prey. They didn't have consistent tornado force winds or a blinding amount of lightning coating the whole mass of the storm. No, this was terribly wrong, and every person in the house could feel it.

The footage being shown was limited, as news of the storm had spread fast and even the most daring reporters had fled further inland. But the news had not spread fast enough for everyone to evacuate, and now Lilycove had been engulfed. But there were bits and pieces that somehow made it to the HNN headquarters – clips of massive trees being lifted and tossed across neighborhoods like they were nothing, of white-water rivers cascading between buildings, of dark, low-hanging clouds that seemed to bleed onto the earth, and lightning that sparked ominously across said clouds, as though the storm itself was exhaling electricity.

Finally, the report switched to commercials, though the bright red marquis warning of severe thunderstorms, evacuation routes, and help lines remained on the bottom of the screen. Brendan's eyes flicked over to the window, expecting something different from the quiet, sunny scene outside. He mentally pinched himself for being such a wuss and took a deep breath. Beside the boy, Professor Birch got to his feet, Pokenav in one hand. Ever since news of the storm had first surfaced, the man had been on edge, scratching his hair and pacing back and forth and sighing constantly. Brendan tried not to let the blatant signs of stress affect him, but as his father moved to the kitchen, he couldn't help but call out, "So, what's this mean for us?"

Birch looked up from the Pokenav, brow furrowed. The question had been floating in the damp air for quite some time, and yet he still didn't have a clear answer. "We'll keep watching the news. If it starts moving towards Oldale, we'll head over to Rustboro." With that, the stout man disappeared into the hallway.

Brendan exchanged a cautious look with his mother. _Evacuate? _Despite all of the wicked storms that'd hit the Littleroot-Oldale area in his life, they'd never actually gone up to Rustboro for shelter. There'd been flooding, sure, and wind damage that took months to fix up, but evacuating? _No way Dad can move all his research things up to Rustboro on such little time, either. _The trainer quickly connected the dots. _This must be a lot worse than I thought._

The news report then came back on, with new flickering, shaky footage of someone's front porch getting ravaged and potted plants being tossed across a street. Brendan huffed and tugged on his hat, absently wondering about May.

* * *

It felt not like hours that I'd been wandering through the halls of the Cave of Origin, stumbling in its darkness, Blaziken's presence the only thing keeping me from completely breaking down. Where was the bottom? How far was I from the surface? Would I make it? I put all my hope into Wallace's words on this all being fate, because there wasn't much else I could do besides give up and leave the world to drown.

It was when my feet were numb and I was beginning to slip into an unconscious, robotic tread when there came a sudden shudder from further within the cavern. Then, in an earsplitting wave of sound came a deep, thundering shriek. I stopped dead in my tracks, Blaziken too, and my mind snapped painfully back to attention. The sound persisted, echoing and echoing until it was nothing but a distant ringing in my ears and then it was gone and the choking silence of the earth returned. I stood there dumbfounded for a moment, staring wide-eyed into the darkness ahead, and then glanced back at Blaziken. "What the hell was that…?" I choked out, voice hoarse.

Its feathers were shifting and twitching in distress, confirming that I hadn't just imagined the sound. "_Ken.."_

For a while we stood there, not moving a muscle, waiting for something to happen, but the cavern gave us nothing more and eventually my legs pulled me forwards again, Blaziken trailing closer behind.

But after a few more twists and turns, the sound came again, much less muffled and all the more unsettling. I glared into the darkness this time as the shriek passed through us and blew through the rest of the cave.

_Something is down there._

…

_Kyogre…_

But a sound so immense, coming from a Pokemon – it seemed impossible. It was more powerful than a burst of thunder. _Just what kind of beast is that thing…?_ Warily, I snaked one hand into my pouch and drew out the Blue Orb.

Something soft brushed against my arm during the action, and I realized it was Blaziken, who was now even more upset. I met its gaze and immediately it began to squawk, frenzied. "Hold on, calm down! Blaziken!" But it wouldn't listen, and only stalked forwards, fire shooting from its arms now.

Biting my lip, I recalled the Pokemon to its ball before it could be disturbed further. With the object clutched in my hand, it was now very obvious that my fingers were trembling. I huffed and shoved the Pokeball away. _It's not like I need the light anymore, anyway, _I thought, feeling the cold cave walls on either side of me. The passage had become much more narrow now, and despite the total darkness, it wouldn't've made much of a difference if the Pokemon's light was here to guide me or not.

As the terrain around me began to change in a way I wasn't able to pin down due to the darkness, more shrieks blew up the cavern, and the orb in my hand began to emit more power. I chomped down hard on the inside of my cheek and tried to calm my heart that was beating out of my chest. The horrifying noise, put together with the blinding darkness both ahead of and behind me, as well as my own vivid imagination working against me to picture what may lie ahead, worked to heighten the fear. My steps became sloppy, my breath uneven.

Then, just seconds after another blasting cry that made my very bones tremble, I stumbled out of the tunnel and into a wide, dimly-lit chamber. With no walls to cling on to, I lost my balance and fell onto my side, cursing and just barely managing to keep a hold of the Blue Orb. The ground was dusty and dry, as was the air, and after a moment of struggling I was back on my feet.

A narrow pathway – if you could call it that, a pathway, with how rugged the stone was – wound around and around the edge of the pale cavern, gradually descending towards the pit in its center. I peeked over the edge, my own breathing sounding much louder than it should. At the very bottom was a dark blotch that I recognized as water. A pool, undoubtedly holding Kyogre. Illuminating the rock around it was a soft, crimson glow, coming from somewhere beneath the water's surface.

_Kyogre._

The Blue Orb seemed to respond to the very thought, the call of the beast's name, and for a second my mind grew fuzzy from its influence. _No… You can't back down now…! S-Sootopolis… the rain… I have to stop this. _Repeating the words in my mind, and ignoring how my fingers were pale and shivering around the small, sapphire orb, I began the descent.

Somehow, between the pattering of my own footsteps, I could've sworn I could hear the storm outside raging on, the sheets of rain slamming against the calloused rock of Sootopolis City, the booming thunder and the howling wind. But the shrieks that had haunted the halls of the Cave of Origin were still forefront in my mind, ringing in my ears, even though things had become strangely silent ever since I'd entered the heart of the cavern.

Walking on the uneven pathway became so much of a challenge – after all, one misstep, one trip, could send you tumbling down a steep slope of rock and into the ominous rift of darkness in the bottom of the cavern – that I began to put all of my attention and effort into that, rather than the presence of Kyogre, or of the storm, or of the Orb that was very subtly pushing on the borders of my mind.

But when I reached the bottom it was quite literally the end of the line, with only a small, flat patch of stone perching out over the now enormous pool of water below. I clutched the orb harder, taking slow steps towards the edge.

_Kyogre._

My feet scuffed as I stopped at the edge of the overlook, staring mesmerized into the water below. It was like the night sky, smudged with red clouds and nebulae, speckled with black stars. Slowly, the crimson glow from within took shape into a thin pattern, and then the space around that pattern darkened, thickened, as Kyogre rose to the surface of its pool. The water shifted just barely with this movement, lapping against the rim of white rock around it.

_Kyogre._

The massive form I'd only glimpsed in the Seafloor Cavern finally revealed itself, with the long, curved mass of its back coming first from the depths, followed by two fins the size of a bus.

_Kyogre._

The little details took a moment to notice in the darkness of the cave. Along its back were two fins that, on the beast appeared minor, but were really no smaller than an adult man. At the far end of the pool, accompanied with a splash, came the end of the Pokemon's wavy tail, and closest to me… was what I quickly realized was Kyogre's face. A thin line of red ran across it, and on either side, just barely peeking up from the water's surface, were the rings of yellow, burning and swirling madly, meeting and holding my stare, and it was like looking into the eyes of a god. In between the two orbs was a wide maw, wide enough to swallow up any one of my Pokemon in one gulp, and it was just barely open, enough to show off an array of dozens upon dozens of jagged pale teeth.

_Kyogre._

It was as though just in meeting the creature's eyes, ice had climbed up from the pool and swirled around my shoes to keep me locked in place. I felt completely defenseless before this Pokemon, like its prey, both physically in the sense that with one push of its enormous fins I could be its meal, and mentally, in the sense that over the past week it'd been worming its way into and through my mind, and possibly, I now realized, destroying it.

But nonetheless, I felt the object reacting in my hand.

I'd finally gotten used to the feeling of having the orb mess with your head, and not a moment too soon. The waves it was giving off were stronger than I'd ever experienced, twisted fury and primal rage and _cold_, it was so cold, and looking into Kyogre's thousand-year-old eyes I could see these same feelings reflected. It was like a deity who had become immeasurably angry with time, engulfed in a storm of rage, who now wanted nothing more but to bring destruction to everything to its best extent, completely unaware of the world around it – except for me, the pawn, the vessel who would hold the one device capable of containing it.

_Kyogre._

I tried fighting back, as I had many times, but doing so only let some of that animalistic rage into my own mind and caused me to immediately back down. A mental battle with an ancient, legendary Pokemon was not the solution here; if it had been I could've calmed the Pokemon before it had even left the Seafloor Cavern. For the same reason, it was foolish of Archie and Maxie to ever think they could control either Groudon or Kyogre. _I see that now…_

No, I realized, I would have to fight it on both fronts. To keep a hold of my own sanity when facing down the source of the Blue Orb's power, and to quite literally beat some sense into it, weaken it enough to turn the tides, prove my power to it so that it may hear me out.

Whatever the case was, Blaziken was no later by my side, flames blasting from its wrists.

Kyogre, in response, opened its jaws wider and let out another terrible cry.

_I can do this._

_"_Blaziken, go!"

* * *

"Metagross!"

There was a crash as the massive Steel-type Pokemon, which had been hovering down towards its trainer, collided with the ground after a powerful gale came in from the south. It slid through the muck, stopping itself by jabbing one towering claw into the ground before it nearly destroyed one of the pillars surrounding the Cave of Origin's entrance. The Pokemon let out a low groan but pulled itself to all fours and turned towards the four humans gazing expectantly at it.

Steven ran up to the Pokemon, stumbling in the wind. "Metagross! What did you see? What's it like?"

The conditions were far too dangerous for Skarmory by now – not to mention the Pokemon was essentially a lightningrod, and vulnerable to electricity – so the trainer had sent up Metagross, a much heavier creature capable of flying with its psychic abilities, to scout around the city.

Its eyes met Steven's, and, in a technique the trainer still wasn't quite used to, flashed brief images of what it had seen into his mind. Not only did the storm appear to have no visible end, no weak points, but the sea… It was much, much worse than he'd imagined… Not only was the flooding across Sootopolis' landscape increasing, but the ocean around the city's mountainous rim was churning around and around like one massive whirlpool, climbing along the edge, licking the peaks of the white rocks that had once jutted so far out of the sea's surface.

If the flooding didn't drown them and destroy the city first, then the ocean literally pushing itself inwards, would.

Steven didn't need to say much to Wallace or the others to convey what he and Metagross had seen. They read it on his face in an instant, felt it in the spare waves of psychic energy that radiated off of the Pokemon.

The Gym Leader spoke first. "We need to evacuate…" Even with his deep voice, the storm sought to drown it out.

Though he opened his mouth to protest, it was clear Steven agreed with that statement. But the thought of abandoning May here, after all that had happened, made his whole body lock up.

"Foolish." Maxie's hiss stood out against the raging tempest about them, causing both Steven's and Wallace's eyes to snap over in his direction. "Foolish! You would abandon your own city?! Let this beast Kyogre have its way?"

Teal eyes narrowed at the Magma boss. "You misunderstand. I am a Sootopolitan. I believe in the power of the Blue Orb and in May more than any of you." A clap of thunder seemed to sound off right behind the four, and Wallace was the only one not to flinch. "But even I can see just how dangerous a place this is right now. Why is it that you cannot, Maxie?" The question came out much icier than Steven had ever heard his friend speak. "You can't possibly believe in the legends as devoutly as I do. What are you so confident about, then? What do you think is giving us a fighting chance against Kyogre?"

Steven, shielding his face from the rain, frowned towards the two. What was Wallace getting at, he thought? Maxie shrunk back after this verbal assault, wading back over to the other side of the pathway where Archie was leaning against a pillar, only half-listening. The Gym Leader swung around, white cloak whirling up with the motion, and moved back over towards Steven, though he kept his lips pursed on the matter.

And so, the four remained in the valley, Steven out of care and responsibility for May, Wallace out of both faith in the legends he'd grown up with and as Sootopolis' last guardian, Maxie in his own strange confidence and stability, and Archie purely out of his own despair – perhaps he was even hoping that the ocean would swallow him up now that he saw what his actions had wrought.

* * *

The heart of the Cave of Origin was, after thousands of years of complete, utter silence, alive with the sound of battle.

Kyogre remained in its small pool, dwarfing the tiny Pokemon trainer and companion Pokemon before it. With each incoming attack it would shift its body just barely and be on the complete opposite end of the pool, launching a counter. It thrashed about, screeching and roaring as it threw blasts of water and daggers of ice aimlessly across the cavern walls. Even when the Pokemon was relying purely on rage, the challenger's Pokemon partner – a Blaziken – had to push its athletic body to the limit in dodging each assault, as well as the aftereffects. One swing of Kyogre's arm would send a tidal wave up the cave wall that, even when initially avoided, would come crashing back down to the pool more violently than before. Ice, another specialty of Kyogre's, crept along the rock, first slicking it, then freezing it, then clutching and freezing anything that touched it. On top of all of this, Kyogre's sheer size caused the entire cavern to rumble with each of its physical attacks. If Blaziken drew too close to Kyogre's pool, the Pokemon, with one wave of its fins, would throw itself onto the rock, mouth hanging open. If Blaziken moved too far back, however, there was the risk of rockslides from the Pokemon's thrashing.

In spite of Kyogre's primal fury being shown off right before her eyes, the Blaziken's trainer remained at the edge of the pit, serving as a second pair of eyes for the fighter and calling out movements, aware of nothing else but the battle. The level of attunement between trainer and Pokemon was unbelievable.

When one of the Pokemon's deluges finally swept about Blaziken's taloned feet, the trainer reacted instantly, whipping out a Pokeball and withdrawing the exhausted monster before it could be swept into Kyogre's jaws. And so the battle continued, with one more Pokemon at a time, the trainer's voice growing hoarse from yelling commands.

The leviathan's strength did not appear to be waning until the trainer was down to the sixth and final Pokemon she held. It was becoming more and more difficult to fight back against the Blue Orb's mind dominance. The cavern's terrain had changed beyond recognition, some areas mangled by attacks, others coated completely in twisted ice. Kyogre shrieked once more and carelessly threw itself into what was its final attack; the trainer called for an attack of her own, her Pokemon reacting in a heartbeat. But the clash was anticlimactic; before the Pokemon could even move to damage Kyogre, frost had swirled up around its body, thickened, encased it completely in ice, and then, after a silent, breathless few seconds shattered, leaving the trainer's Pokemon lying limp on the rocks.

* * *

…

…

…Cold.

Even Mightyena's Pokeball was cold to the touch after I recalled it.

Just a single attack… was all it had taken, to knock it out…

With a gulp, I numbly tucked the ball away and looked to Kyogre. This was the same beast capable of creating the apocalyptic storm raging outside. _Why am I surprised that it could wipe out one of my Pokemon with a single move?_ I felt stupid for ever hoping to match this Pokemon in strength.

And yet its movements, as it returned to its initial place in the center of the churning pool, appeared sluggish. There were obvious spots on its deep blue hide where attacks had caused significant damage. But _six Pokemon, _it had taken… I glanced down at my feet to make sure no ice was creeping up my own skin; that I wasn't next.

Seconds of silence turned into minutes and yet Kyogre did not move from its place. The yellow rings were focused back on me, observant and made somewhat passive. With the sounds of battle now gone, I could hear the beast's rugged breathing from across the cave. _This atmosphere…_ I held the Blue Orb tighter. The invasive and wild presence of the artifact was gone, or lessened at least. It almost felt warmer now, and the glow it let off quickly became stronger and stronger.

Once again I glanced over to Kyogre's huge, quivering form. Perhaps it was sated, or perhaps it was only recovering and would attack again soon. _Whatever the case… now's the time. I need to do it now._

Somehow, I felt like I knew exactly what I was doing as I raised the orb higher into the air, holding it out towards the half-submerged beast. And then everything began to move harmonically; the faint blue light let off by the orb, the red let off from the twisting patterns across Kyogre's body, the fading of that hot, electrical rage that had once filled the orb and the air around me, and the gradual feeling of tranquility that followed. I let a breath escape my lips, a sigh of relief I never thought I would be taking. Everything was suddenly clicking into place, the draw of the Blue Orb, the legends of Kyogre, Wallace's words, everything. The communication between artifact and Pokemon seemed to be rising to its peak, and then-

_CRASH!_

The lights, red and blue, dimmed.

A deafening rumble filled the cavern and the ground shook beneath my feet. In that moment of pure peace I lost my footing, stumbling over to the side until I was able to steady myself on a fallen boulder. The orb fell from my hand in the chaos, rolling over towards the ledge, and, spotting it, I dove forwards, landing hardly on the uneven stone and just barely grabbing a hold of the artifact in time. One, two, three more smaller crashes ravaged the earth, and then…

A roar.

A deafening roar _that was not Kyogre's._

My head snapped up.

A hole had been roughly carved out on the other side of the cave, sending massive rocks tumbling into the water. It stretched up nearly to the cavern's ceiling, a wide, dark maw. Standing in this gap, filling nearly the entire thing was a towering monster of black and red, like something out of a story book. Its body was lined with spikes and two narrow claws hung from its side. Further back, the beast's red hide curved up in a thick, pointed tail that was lined with curved black and blue markings. Its jaw hung open, clearly the source of the roar, and from its throat came billowing smoke and steam. Between the mouth and its long, divoted forehead were the same furious yellow orbs Kyogre had.

_Groudon. _I knew this Pokemon immediately, somehow. _This is Groudon._

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for all the reviews/follows/faves! Also – happy late one-year anniversary to ORAS.


	43. Faith

**Chapter 43 – To Have Faith**

The Blue Orb's crippling waves of pain returned at once, signaling that Kyogre was enraged at the appearance of its age-old adversary Groudon, and I cried out, half out of agony and half out of despair because _we were so close, we were so close, how could this happen?!_

The legends didn't give me time to mourn, however, and Groudon immediately tossed itself at Kyogre. The two rammed against the rocky slope just to the right of me, screeching and roaring and flailing with fury withheld for some thousands of years. Kyogre countered, sinking its teeth into Groudon's side and pushing them both further back into the pool. I struggled amongst the shaking just to get to my hands and knees, feeling tears streaking down my face, helplessness bubble up in my chest, and in total anguish I let out a cry that went completely unnoticed by the two beasts.

With the new movements, combined with the gaping hole in the wall, the cavern was now threatening to collapse. The ground shuddered and all around me larger rocks were falling from the slopes above. It wouldn't last much longer – that thought broke through the rest of the screaming within my mind and drove me to stand back up. I watched the Pokemon tear at each other for a moment more, still crying. _The Blue Orb… _Half of me wanted to throw the object onto the ground, shatter it, fling myself into the water or let the cave's heart collapse in on me because _damn it, it happened again, I failed again, how is this possible? How is this possible? The Blue Orb isn't responding anymore I can't fight both of them it happened again I'm terrible I'm terrible Sootopolis is doomed what was I thinking-_

But something I couldn't identify ordered me to hurry out towards a smaller tunnel I'd spotted much earlier that sat in a nearby cave wall – the one I'd first entered through was long inaccessible, by now. It kept my fingers clutched around the Orb and prevented me from looking back, quickened my pace when I heard a huge boom from behind me. The tunnel did not swerve or widen as the first did; it was a grueling uphill climb, so narrow that anyone larger than me would have a hard time maneuvering. The chill that seemed to accompany Kyogre's presence faded very quickly and I started sweating and choking on the dry air. At one point in the climb I was worried I was pushing my body past its limits, especially after that fall in saving the orb, but it felt almost impossible to stop moving in the confined space and total darkness.

After a ruthless final ascent, the ground leveled out some, and my head felt clearer.

Huffing, I reached into my pocket for the Pokenav, flinching as its brightly lit screen stung my eyes.

No signal.

I closed it and forged on.

Eventually the cavern widened and it dawned on me that this was the first hallway I'd come through. I squinted towards the end of the cave; there was a small, gray blotch. The entrance.

_The entrance._

* * *

"Steven. Hey, Steven…!"

Wallace's voice, sounding a little less hostile than before, brought Steven Stone from his thoughts. He opened his eyes, moving away from the pillar he'd been leaning against, and met the Gym Leader's gaze.

"The sky…" One arm emerged from the man's heavy cloak as he gestured to the clouds above. "Don't you think it looks like… the storm is weakening…?"

Furrowing his brow, Steven followed his friend's gesture to the swirling clouds above. They didn't look that different; black and low and puffy, etched with furious bolts of lightning.

And yet…

As he watched they did appear to be changing. The lightning all at once became less sporadic, and already the rain was light enough so that he didn't have to cover his eyes. The wind stopped all at once. "What the…" his words were muttered softly to himself and yet they reached his own ears. The storm weakened and weakened and within a few seconds died all at once as though it'd been stabbed in the heart or pulled away piece by piece by some greater being.

Wallace and Steven exchanged a look.

The change continued; the clouds, once so bulbous and thick became in a matter of seconds wisps in the bright blue sky, before dissipating completely. Hoenn's heat returned immediately and Steven felt it, the sun beaming down on him even as it was on its way towards the horizon. Around them the columns cast long shadows across the still, standing water and the city that had once seemed to be on the brink of drowning was shimmering under the mid-afternoon light.

"What-…" Steven was speechless. He'd thought of the storm's end, but nothing as sudden as this. "This is…"

He looked to his friend for answers. Wallace was smiling, completely alight with relief. "She's done it."

Out of the corner of his eye, the trainer spotted a very aghast Maxie, and Archie looking to the sky as though someone had just saved him from the cold clutches of death.

Then, as if on cue, the heavy door to the Cave of Origin that had not long ago swallowed up May's form creaked open once again. Everyone turned – everyone being a meager audience of four, a group of enemies forced to face down death together – as May's familiar form emerged from the darkness.

For a brief moment everyone was still and the only sound around them was the dripping of water and, faintly, the lapping of waves against Sootopolis' forever changed shoreline. Then, in a very subdued movement May closed the heavy door behind her. The silence broke, and Wallace stepped towards the girl, offering his thanks and reaffirming the faith he held in her.

Steven followed suite, carefully approaching May, and off to his left Archie and Maxie moved in a little, but still maintained their distance. The weight of what had happened was hitting the trainer very slowly, and he felt his lips rise to a relieved but unsure smile.

May's deeper blue eyes flicked from the clear sky to the storm damage around them, to Maxie and Archie, and then briefly met with Steven's before moving to Wallace, whose words had probably not been fully received yet. Yet even with that momentary glance the trainer knew something was wrong. His smile fell and he drew closer to May, his head buzzing with concern, suddenly highly aware of the bruises on her arms and legs and the strange wideness of her eyes and how one of her hands was clutched around the Blue Orb, shaking, and the hoarseness in her voice when she responded to Wallace's remarks.

"Like I said, I knew you could do it, May," said Wallace coolly, patting her shoulder once more. "Let's get you to the Pokemon Center, now. You'll need some rest."

Quietly, the girl nodded her head.

"May," Steven finally summoned up his voice, and she seemed to flinch at the word, setting off more alarms in his brain. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Wallace's sideward glance, but ignored it. "Are you alright?"

Finally, the shorter trainer turned and met his gaze again, and that was enough of an answer. He'd definitely seen that look before – it was the same look of crushing fear she'd had when she'd begun sobbing in his house, and when they'd met on the sea after the storm had just broken out. Steven clenched his teeth, feeling nauseous. _Defeat._ That was the look.

"I… Yeah, I…" came the rasp as May struggled for words. "I…"

Beside him, Wallace was scowling. "May?"

She looked away, flinching again. Steven could feel his fingernails digging into his palms. This was not good. _This was not good. _Something was wrong with her. And why was it so damn hot out already? He cursed under his breath, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead that had just a few minutes ago been soaked and covered in matted, wet bangs, and somewhere inside Steven questioned how his hair was already dry.

"This isn't good," echoed Wallace, who was, to Steven's surprise, unfastening the cloak from his shoulders. "I think she's in shock."

May glanced up at this statement, her blue eyes flaring with protest but still she didn't speak. The Gym Leader carefully took the cloak and draped it around the girl's shoulders before leading her off to the side to sit on a fallen chunk of stone. Steven followed, watching her carefully. First she stared at her own feet, probably surprised at the amount of water that had collected, and then at the sky, head turning until she found the sun and then stopping. When Wallace had her seated she cast another fearful glance Steven's way, just for a second, before frowning at the ground.

Wallace – who was probably happy to relieve himself of his cloak, with how damn hot it was – bent down on one knee to face May. "You didn't quite answer my question before, May. What exactly happened down there?"

She hesitated, and then shook her head, the action making more brown hair fall into her face. Her fingers tightened around the Blue Orb.

_The Blue Orb… _The realization hit Steven like a train and he quickly glided to one knee. _No one truly knew its effects. Is this it, then? Some kind of long-term psychological damage? _She didn't seem to realize he was there. Wallace eyed him again. Carefully, Steven placed a hand over her gloved one. "May, the orb. Now that it's over, you should probably…" He gently placed his other hand on the object, tried coaxing it from her grasp, but _wow_ she had a grip on it. Frustration rising in his chest, Steven gave a tug on the orb, and immediately she withdrew her arm away entirely, burying it in the soft, white folds of Wallace's cloak.

"No," muttered May, weakly.

The two men exchanged fearful glances and rose to their feet, wading a few feet away to speak as though it would make a difference.

"Steven…" began Wallace, running one hand through his still-sleek, teal strands of hair, "I don't know what could've caused this or what it could mean, but-"

He gasped, interrupted by Steven grabbing a hold of his collar and shoving him roughly against the pillar they stood beside. The words spilled out of his mouth before he had a hold on what he was saying. "This is the orb's fault, Wallace! _Damn it! _You _knew _this would happen, that it was a consequence for stopping Kyogre – all part of those legends… _We_ knew this would happen…"

The Gym Leader appeared impassive, first raising his hands and then grabbing a hold of Steven's forearm and pushing him away. He flinched at the painful grip, shook his arm free of Wallace's hold, and sighed through his teeth, though keeping his distance this time.

"This is neither of our faults, Steven," he spoke. "Not May's, either. If anyone would be to blame, it's Archie…" For a moment they both glanced over to the man that appeared a fraction of his former self, now sitting in the warm runoff water, back against a pillar, head in his arms. "But I don't think this could even be the orb's doing as you think. If it was going to affect her this much, it would have already. She obtained it quite some time ago, did she not?"

Feeling himself calm, Steven nodded in understanding, furrowing his brow even at his actions and wondering where the sudden frustration and lack of control had even come from. He glanced down at his own hand, which felt tingly and hot. _The hand I tried to take the orb with._

Whether Wallace realized this or not, he wasn't sure, but he didn't have time to speak because someone interrupted one, slithering between their conversation and between them and May.

"Come now, May, what _did_ you see down there?"

Maxie's voice made Steven's skin crawl and he whirled back around to find him standing a little too close to May for comfort. The two trainers hurried over, glaring up at the Magma leader.

He turned his head to Steven. Already, the man's pale skin appeared to be burning in the sunlight, and his heavy overcoat was completely dry. "There is no need for the caution, Devon boy. I'm only trying to get her to speak." Maxie squared his shoulders and adjusted his hands behind his back, a smile crawling onto his face in the process.

"We don't need your help. I suggest you get the hell out of Sootopolis before I have you detained and your whole organization hunted down." The words were sharp but carried little weight, as both men were aware of just how empty the city around them was.

The red-haired man was as perceptive as he let off and smirked at this. "Are you? Hmph. The prodigal son, throwing around his weight and worth. How typical. I didn't know I intimidated you this much, Stone."

Perhaps Steven's anger was due to the situation, but a good amount of it was definitely coming from the choking heat. "You don't."

"Oh?" Maxie's pale, dry lips swerved up even further. "Is that why you're sweating like a filthy Grumpig?" he sneered.

Steven grinded his teeth and took a step forwards, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder and Wallace shaking his head in disapproval. The trainer shook his head and stepped away from the Magma Leader, though remaining by May's side. _Get a grip, Steven…_

Maxie watched May as she shifted awkwardly for a moment more before striding back down the pathway towards the lake. Steven could've sworn there was a jump in his step.

"It is awfully hot, though," commented Wallace, pulling off his hat to fan himself. It was probably the first time Steven had ever seen sweat don the ever-so-graceful man's face.

"Hardly matters," he replied gruffly, kneeling back down. Strangely, there appeared to be less standing water. _Already?_ Steven turned to look May over again and blinked.

She'd buried her face in her hands, fingers tugging on dry, stringy bangs. Her elbows dug into her knees – particularly one spot where there was already a sizable bruise. And she had dropped the orb. It sat resting against her shoe, dull and grayish.

"_Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no…."_

"May…?" Steven glanced after Maxie. _What did he do?_ "What's wrong?"

The question went unanswered. There was a huge explosion, not unlike the rumble after a cave passage collapses or is blasted open with dynamite – the earth, breaking. And then a quake. Wallace was sent tumbling off of his feet. Steven balanced himself against the rubble May was sitting on, gazing out where the massive sound had come from. _The lake?_ It wasn't entirely visible from the valley they were in, but it wasn't far, and with one reaffirming glance to Wallace, Steven was sure that that had been the source of the noise.

This close, it was clear May had started to hyperventilate, and Steven quickly tore his gaze away from the horizon and back to the trainer. He struggled amongst the quake to touch her arm. "May- calm down. I'm here. Wallace is here… You and your Pokemon are okay…"

"This is my fault," she stuttered, and though he had no idea what she meant, saying so appeared to calm her a little. "_This is my fault."_

"Steven! We have to get out of here!" called Wallace, who was still struggling to keep his balance. "Something happened in the lake. If the quake has anything to do with it… Water could start…" His teal orbs strayed past Steven, beyond him, further up the pathway and away from the cave's entrance to where there was a roaring sound, like a crashing wave.

_Oh, shit._

He reached to his belt for Skarmory's Pokeball, but it was far too late. Behind him, Wallace shouted out the names of two of his Pokemon. The water crested the ridge of the valley, rushed down the slope, hit the first set of columns – where did Maxie go? – the next set, and the next, and then Steven's body moved on its own, grabbing hold of May and turning his back to the water and then-

_Whoosh!_

The roar of the wave was almost deafening, and then everything went silent in a heartbeat as they were completely submerged. For a moment Steven struggled so as he would not get rammed into a pillar or wall, tried to find the surface. His eyes stung from the saltiness of the water – it was easy to forget Sootopolis' lake was connected to the ocean – then, suddenly, May began to thrash in his hold and her grip on his arms tightened to the point of pain. _Wallace… Milotic… Where are they?_

At that thought the water shifted around them and Steven forced his eyes open. There was the familiar serpentine form of Wallace's signature Pokemon, swimming and coiling around the two trainers. If the situation were different, it would have been dazzling – Wallace and his Pokemon were, after all, known both for their prowess in battles _and_ beauty in contests. But Steven was running out of air, and had no idea which way was up.

Then, finally, there was a sharp tug at the back of his shirt as something grabbed a hold of it, and he and May were dragged quickly through the water – was she holding her breath? He couldn't tell – and just when Steven thought he might pass out they broke through the surface again and were dumped unceremoniously onto the land.

Steven had never had an affinity with Water-type Pokemon, or water in general. It was fairly obvious, considering his hobby was to bury himself in deep underground caves. But lying on the shoreline on his back like this, soaking wet, coughing and trying to clear his stinging eyes, he certainly did feel an affinity with a beached Wailmer.

In between coughs he felt the slimy, wiry substance beneath his hands and recognized it as grass. Then Wallace must have carried them closer to the lake. There was another splash nearby, too – Wallace's second Pokemon, followed by a thud and heavy breaths and… had he sent it out to retrieve Archie? Steven struggled to regain his vision out of pure anxiousness. There was a third person too, coughing and huffing – it must have been May.

After a minute or so of struggling Steven was able to see properly, though his eyes still stung like hell. There was the blue sky above, and Archie off to his right alongside Wallace's Wishcash, and the Gym Leader himself standing beside Milotic with a grim expression not too far off on his left and May – Steven moved to sit up and nearly headbutted the trainer, who was slouched halfway over him, trying to regain her senses.

"Sorry," was all he managed, scooting back some. _At least… she seems like she's "back"…_

May threw a tired look his way. "Thanks."

As soon as they'd both recovered Wallace was there, his face twisted in a mix of fear and unease and a million other things. He silenced the two trainers when they attempted to thank him by raising a hand, and accepted the cloak May handed back to him. Slowly, Steven began to pinpoint where in Sootopolis they had moved to in avoiding the wave; this was the islet his gym was on, minor but large enough to withstand flooding. The prestigious building itself was further inland, and the grassy area they were on now was a field people often came to observe the fireworks shows that were common in Sootopolis life.

In short, it was about as close to the lake as one could get.

Fixing the cloak over his shoulders, Wallace still said nothing, but instead looked at May with an unusual amount of understanding, and then stepped to the side so the two could view the entire water body.

_Oh._

Oh.

The ground was rent apart. It was as though someone had reached down – or, up – and pulled the earth open, and from within had come a mess of hot lava that'd hardened into land. The spiky mesa erupted from the lake's surface, dark and steaming. On top of the mass was a massive, crimson Pokemon that Steven knew from his readings to be Groudon. _Groudon. _The creator of land, earthshaker, behemoth – what was it doing here? How? Why? Impossible… Impossible, Steven tried to tell himself, it was all a bad dream. He sat there in the mucky, wet grass, taking in the sight of this monster standing in the middle of Sootopolis, glowing red-

_It makes sense._ It did. The heat wave before, the rate at which the storm dissipated. The dry air. _Maxie's behavior. _He _knew_. He knew and he didn't tell anyone. All this time… _If only I'd stopped him at the Space Center, realized then… But what about May? She couldn't have known… _Steven rapidly pieced together bits of information as he stood up. _When she visited their base… that's the only time he could have had access to the Blue Orb, and to have done this… But it doesn't make sense – May would have said something, especially if they had stolen the orb…_

Turning to the trainer who was still seated on the ground, he held out a hand to help her up. She hesitantly took it, but had once again gone quiet, and looked positively pale, ill, even. The offered hand, though gloved, was trembling, and he had a hard time letting it go.

_'This is my fault', she said earlier… _Steven furrowed his brow, wishing desperately that she'd speak, but not wanting to force a potentially difficult explanation.

May seemed to finally understand this, and taking a deep breath, began. "…When I was down there, in the Cave… I was so close to calming Kyogre, the orb was activating, when…" She shook her head and seemed unable to look neither Steven nor Wallace in the eye. "Part of the wall collapsed, and Groudon appeared out of _nowhere_…"

Wallace stiffened. "So then, Kyogre…"

"I wasn't able to calm it," she admitted, eyes wide. "It went back into a rage when Groudon appeared. And now the orb won't react anymore. It's too distracted with Groudon…"

Even after the confession it was clear there was something she was leaving out, something she was reluctant to say. Wallace turned to watch as Groudon stretched its limbs and observed the terrain around it. _It could turn this city back into a volcano, if it wanted, _thought Steven grimly. It was hard to fathom that all the power written only as legends, stories of a beast that could literally reshape the land, was here, right before him. He'd never felt so insignificant in his life.

"Only now… am I starting to remember…" Steven could only begin to understand how this girl could feel, after all this fighting and reassurance, only to have her hopes crushed each time, to find another despairing situation around each corner. "When I visited Maxie in Team Magma's base, after Mt. Pyre… By the time I reached the heart of their base I was so lightheaded, because of the environment or the orb I'm not sure, but at some point I blacked out… and when I woke up things seemed normal, Maxie left a note saying he'd evacuated to stop Team Aqua in Slateport… but…"

"He tricked you, lied…" finished Steven, glaring down at the ground, "took the Blue Orb off of you, used it to awaken Groudon and acted like nothing had happened afterwards."

"I'm sorry," May said after the revelation, voice hard and empty. "I should have listened to you. Sorry can't fix this, though…"

Steven only stared at the trainer, speechless. _It's not your fault. This was all orchestrated by Archie and Maxie, all of it, carefully. You hold unrealistic expectations for yourself, May. In any case, I should have been more insistent upon helping-_

"Right on all accounts, children."

Maxie's hum came out of nowhere. The Magma Leader landed suddenly in the grass a few feet away, recalling a huge Crobat back to a Pokeball. Steven felt his blood boil. "But one: the fatigue given by the orb was but a catalyst. It was the strike of my admin that truly put you to sleep."

May glanced up at Maxie, but there was little fight in her expression, only sorrow and a tinge of self-loathing.

Above, the sun beamed down on Sootopolis, its rays genuinely beginning to burn.

"This is insane, Maxie." The words were sharp. Steven stepped between the Magma Leader and May, not bothering to mask his emotions any longer and instead shooting the man a cold glare.

"You realize that Groudon's power is equally catastrophic, don't you?" Wallace added, backing him up. "_They were never meant to be reawakened."_

The man folded his hands behind his back and smiled. "You fail to see the difference between Aqua's vision and ours. Kyogre would revert this world back to its beginnings. Groudon – Groudon would accelerate us to the future."

"To the _end,_" corrected May, who had once again found her voice. "If Kyogre is the alpha, Groudon is the omega. Even if you summoned it before Archie awakened Kyogre, you knew he would…"

"Precisely," hummed Maxie, bringing his hands back around and tucking them into his pockets. "Though I hate to admit it, Archie was ahead of Magma, and nothing I did could have stopped him from attaining his goal. But would that stop me from attaining mine? No! It gave me more reason to, in fact." The man strode past Steven, Wallace, and May, up to the water's edge. In the intense sunlight his bright-red form seemed to stand out even more, matching that of the behemoth he'd taken part in awakening. "With May wielding the Blue Orb, I had _hoped _she would stop Archie and Kyogre, completely unknowing of my summoning Groudon, thus taking care of the threat completely without me lifting a finger." Maxie then turned, looking down upon May with narrowed, disappointed dark eyes. "It appears my expectations were wrongly placed."

Out in the lake, Groudon let out a massive roar, louder and far worse than any crack of thunder Steven had heard in the past few hours. Following it was a splash that sent water cascading twenty, thirty meters into the air, and then a figure half-submerged in water Steven recognized as Kyogre appeared across the lake, letting out a shriek of its own. He felt every muscle in his body tense. _Unreal…. T-this is… Something out of the legends, for Groudon and Kyogre to fight…_

Maxie scoffed, keeping his eyes on May. "_You _may have lost to Kyogre, but through me _Groudon _will not. Perhaps the only way to combat a monster like that is with one of your own."

With that, the man did something shocking – pulled both of his pale, trembling hands from his pockets, to reveal one clutching the Blue Orb.

May jolted beside Steven. "No- how did you… No!"

Wallace stepped forwards and at the same time Milotic shifted along the shoreline to attack Maxie, but it already appeared to be too late. With movements completely abnormal for a man of Maxie's stature, he dodged Wallace and shoved him into Milotic's incoming tail sweep. Along the man's ghostly skin, a pattern, light blue in color, began to trace its way around his hand, up his arm, around his neck and across his face and then, simultaneously, Maxie began to cackle, and Groudon roared, and it was so _terrible-_

Steven barely noticed the legendary beast stamp its foot in the distance; what surprised him were the huge, jutting spikes of earth that then shot out from the lake around the Pokemon, towards the islet, changing shape as they grew near until they formed a very rough hill by which Maxie was to stand on. The man did so without a second thought, bounding up the uneven rock stairs that still steamed with heat. Once at the top he thrust the orb into the sky, shouting out Groudon's name, and the legend responded – was it a response? Or was Maxie the one responding? – and began glowing electric blue with power.

Steven felt himself shaking his head. _No… To think it barely took a touch for Maxie to be overtaken like that…_ His posture, his movements, Maxie's very persona appeared completely different now, almost inhuman. Steven turned to May, still at his side, and was surprised at the amount of confidence that'd returned to her features. "May…"

The ground rumbled as Groudon continued its attack, sending more spikes and billowing flames in Kyogre's direction. Steven tried not to gawk at the battle, focusing his gaze instead at the girl beside him.

"I know," she responded, still watching the thing that had once been Maxie. "It's using him to gain power… At this rate the opposite will happen and the whole world will dry up…"

_Or burn, _the words were not there but were implied.

Both of the young trainer's gazed fell upon Wallace, who'd recovered and was brushing dust from his cloak. He approached them once more, much less grace in his step, hardly able to stifle a cough or two. Steven had never seen the man so disheveled before, and it only served to make him even more uneasy.

"Wallace… What you said…" He muttered, remembering the faith his friend had, just minutes ago, been holding in May's ability to fulfill Sootopolis' legends and stop Kyogre. "What happens now?"

The girl hummed in agreement. "Despite what you said, I… wasn't able to stop this." Her voice was full of emotion, but somehow held some hope yet.

The Gym Leader sighed, glowering at the ground, and then over at the possessed Maxie. It was very clear he, too, was shouldering some responsibility for this, as a Sootopolitan. "Without a doubt, May, you are… There's no other reason you would've wielded the Blue Orb. I just… This is madness. No teaching could have prepared me for this…"

All of the sudden there was a cry and Milotic, behind Wallace, had leapt from the water, its mouth open and aglow with energy. At the same time one of May's Pokeballs burst open in a flash of light, and there was another, deeper cry as the three of them were tackled by a large Pokemon. Steven grunted as he landed hard against the ground some amount of feet away.

When he opened his eyes, the trainer was surprised to see a wall of fire having erupted just before them, with the jagged silhouette of Blaziken standing just before it, ready for battle. Thick steam erupted from beyond. Steven glanced over to May, also lying nearby. _She didn't call Blaziken out… what…_

Then, he noticed the rushing, cascading water that Blaziken was protecting them _from._ It crashed across the islet, held back from the small space the three trainers had landed by both the billowing flames and a small wall of ice – Milotic's work.

_Who's attack was…_ Steven glanced around, catching his breath, looking for the source of the sudden rush of water. _What…_

"Oh, no…"

Wallace had since sat up and found the source of the attack. He turned to Steven, and then nodded in the direction of Groudon's pillar. At its foot was a massive Sharpedo; scaling it was a burly, dark form, moving in the same feral, inhuman way that Maxie had just seconds before.

"Archie…? But… he was-" Steven glanced to the spot further back on the islet where the man had previously been quiet and sulking. He stumbled back up to his feet, eyes wide. In Archie's hand, now, was… and around his body… that red glow…

"Archie!"

Somehow May had already gotten up and was sprinting through the runoff water after the man. Given how he was lumbering rather than walking as a normal person would, she caught up with him, reaching one gloved hand out and clutching the back of his shirt.

Wallace reacted first, gasping and yelling out, "May, don't get near him! It's dangerous!"

Steven watched, still winded from Blaziken's protective blow, hands on his knees.

"How could you?! After seeing Maxie! And everything Kyogre caused! Don't you see?!" Her voice was a mix of desperate and furious that tore at Steven's chest, and it was so hard to believe this was the same adventurous trainer that'd stumbled upon him in Granite Cave all that time ago. "You can't give in to it! Kyogre will only use you as a tool to empower itself!"

"May!" Steven managed, knowing fully well the words didn't reach her.

"It's no use! It's too late!" called Wallace, aware of the same.

"You can't control it!" She exclaimed as Archie finally came to a stop near the top of the rough pedestal. "When will you see-_ ah!"_

In one swift, yet horribly slow movement, the huge man brought up his free fist and backhanded the smaller girl in the face, sending her stumbling and falling back down the pedestal. He didn't say anything, only let out a low growl, as the red markings traced up his neck, too.

* * *

_Is there… nothing I can do?_ I found myself thinking as I felt my back collide with the rough steps of the altar. _Groudon… and Kyogre, now, are at full power…_ The rock was still so _hot_ and I recoiled as my arms made full contact with it in an attempt to turn myself around. I tumbled the rest of the way to the grass, the boiling frustration in my chest feeling like the only defense I had left.

Before I could even collect myself everyone was there, Blaziken first, squawking in distress and unceremoniously pulling me to my feet with its thin, taloned claws. My arms seriously burned, and, hissing through my teeth, noted some particularly bad red spots.

Just behind the huge bird Pokemon was Steven, looking less stoic than ever, glancing nervously between me and Wallace. Wallace had an intense glower on his face, directed solely at the two figures that'd taken their place at the top of the altar.

"May," he finally said, mouth a thin line. "You-"

"I know what I'm doing, now," I spat, pulling out another Pokeball from my bag and releasing Shelgon. "Blaziken! Shelgon! Attack them!"

"What?! May!" Steven and Wallace's voices blended together and I tuned them out, whirling on the pedestal as my Pokemon obeyed. Shelgon slammed its solid body against the rock in an effort to break it; Blaziken, whose death wish I could very clearly sense, rushed up to the top, wrists ablaze with hot flames.

_If they won't listen to reason, then, this is all I can do, isn't it? Bring it on. I'll fight Archie and Maxie, Kyogre and Groudon-_

Just as the Fire-type crested the pillar's peak and leapt high into the air for an attack, there was another fit of rumbling from the earth below our feet. I stumbled, catching myself, while Shelgon fell onto its side. In the same instant there was a huge, sudden flow of bubbles just off to the right, and the lake water twisted and contorted until another hot, jagged spine of rock sliced through the air and at the altar.

_Oh no._

_ Oh _no.

I didn't even reach the first step before the spike intercepted Blaziken mid-flight, slicing across its torso and tossing it into the lake water. Then there was something holding me back from running after it- hands, Steven and Wallace, keeping me from helping my own Pokemon. I struggled against them, eyes glued to the spot where Blaziken had been swallowed up, praying another spear of earth wouldn't rise from there with the Pokemon totally impaled this time. Somewhere in all this I realized I was yelling, and stopped.

Steven and Wallace started speaking again, but I still had them tuned out, watching as that swift, graceful Pokemon of the Gym Leader's that'd saved me before dove in after Blaziken and brought it up just seconds later. It hummed softly as it deposited the Pokemon beside Shelgon. I took deep breaths, forced myself to calm down and think rationally again, but it was so damn hard. _Acting like this won't just get you hurt. It'll get them hurt. And that's unforgivable._ My hands unclenched and I spared a glance at Archie and Maxie, still completely enthralled atop their perch, glowing with color. _How do you stop someone who has the protection of the gods?_ The earth spear, the sheer _accuracy…_

"…need to get to high ground!"

My mind snapped back to reality and I twisted my neck around to glance at Wallace and Steven, who were speaking urgently with each other. Swallowing, I recalled Shelgon and Blaziken and joined the two.

"I don't have a Pokemon that can take me," Wallace said, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. "And what about those two hooligans?"

"Given what just happened, I'm sure they'll be more than okay," Steven replied, jumping over his own words. "You and May can take Metagross, I'll take Skarmory."

"…What's going on?" I pried, praying the elder trainers wouldn't immediately snap at me.

I wasn't so lucky. Their eyes were dark, expressions even more grim. "Kyogre and Groudon paid little mind to us three before, since we weren't attacking them, but… Now that you tried to damage their subjects, I would guess they're retaliating and wish to get us out of the picture," explained Wallace, nodding up at the steaming spear of rock that now arched over the altar. "Groudon sent that. Kyogre has sent…"

With a shaky breath I followed the man's gaze out to the lake. The two legends were still at it, Kyogre leaping and snapping from the water at Groudon's hunched form. But there was some kind of distortion in my field of view, too, almost like…

"…Tidal wave…"

_That's one way to wipe any distractions out…_

When I turned back around Steven had already called the two airbourne Pokemon back out. He pulled himself onto Skarmory's back, while Wallace took a seat on the hovering Metagross, and gestured for me to join. The sound of rushing water was now very apparent from almost every direction and in a panic I joined the Gym Leader. There was a quick wave of nausea as we took off, and I wasn't sure whether it was from the psychic energy or just the sheer fear from the situation. With as much haste as possible, the Pokemon hovered after Skarmory's glistening form.

I looked down at the Sootopolis lake that was getting smaller and smaller. The tidal wave took up the entire diameter of the water body, rolling angrily towards the shore, closer and closer, and it was hard to tell its height but it was clear that this attack was meant to completely flood that small islet as well as the first few streets on Sootopolis' lower level.

Just as the wave hit the inner shore with a thunderous crash, I closed my eyes and turned away. It hurt. It hurt to be so helpless. Everything I did seemed to result in something worse. Would any of this have even happened if I just had never come to Hoenn? It was a question I was still constantly asking myself.

But there was a nagging voice in my heart that told me it wasn't all my doing, that I was still somehow outstanding despite all of this, which strangely sounded a little bit like Steven's. There was another voice that said despite everything, the battle wasn't over yet, and there was more to come, more to Sootopolis' legends that I wasn't aware of yet, and this voice reminded me of Wallace, that pompous Contest guy. Another quieter voice said that I make people proud and that no matter what I should fight, because there's people I had to protect, and this one was a lot like Dad's. Brendan's was there too, giving me some nagging, yet supportive comments, and Mom's, reminding me I was worth something despite it all, and Birch and the Gym Leaders…

Sighing, I opened my eyes, noting with a sinking, soupy feeling of unease in my gut the dark, churning clouds that had once again formed on the horizon just beyond Sootopolis. It was going to get bad. High ground would save us from Kyogre's attempt on our lives, but not the entire fight. _Nothing_ would save _anyone _from the entire fight, if it was allowed to escalate. _The only thing that can stop them… …What is that…?_

Biting my lip, I spared a glance at Steven, who was a little further ahead on his Skarmory. The Pokemon glided gracefully, expertly towards a rooftop near the volcanic rim. He didn't look back. I wondered where his gaze was directed; was it at the tidal wave ravaging Sootopolis' coastal neighborhoods? At the revived storm in the distance? Or maybe Steven was merely looking for a place to land, and decide on the next move.

I raised one arm over my face, not surprised to feel tears when the skin brushed my eyes. I wiped them away, suddenly missing the rain and its disheartening ability to hide one's crying, blinked a few times to rid the ones stuck to my eyelashes, and then took a deep breath. Wallace had just put all of his faith in me; I would have to put all of my faith in him, now.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank again so much for R/R! Happy Holidays to you guys! : ) (My notes on this one are super short for better or worse since it somehow got to be past 2AM again..)


	44. Onslaught

**Chapter 44 - Onslaught**

A gale of warm, heavy air whipped across the canopy of Fortree City, sending the suspended walkways and ladders tossing and tangling in the wind. Stray leaves, torn from their homes, drifted about in between gusts. One of them was plucked from the air by a blue leather glove, and clenched between five quivering fingers.

"This storm…"

Winona stared at the leaf, her sharp features darkening. The radio reception had at last been lost in Fortree, and the cloud cover now shrouded the surrounding area, bringing with it the terrible gusts and mutters of thunder. Lavender eyes moved to the sky, and Winona discarded the leaf. Off to the east, flashes of lightning were visible, and growing more frequent. Down below, in the belly of the city, were still a number of disgruntled townspeople and travelers from surrounding routes seeking shelter. The Pokemon Center was far from full, and was the safest point in the town, along with Winona's own Gym, reinforced by a solid foundation and a trained Gym Leader. Both were filling up quickly; some braver people opted to travel further west, and seek shelter in the Weather Institute, but Winona had warned them that the center may not even be open to public considering the catastrophe that had so quickly appeared out in the ocean.

Sootopolis City was where the center of the storm was, the woman remembered from one of the many emergency announcements, spreading quickly in all directions. Subconsciously, she furrowed her brow. Considering the shape of the city, its geography, the fact that it was quite literally in the middle of the ocean, things could get very bad there, very quickly – if they hadn't already. _Wallace… I'm sure he will figure something out. _It was a Gym Leader's duty, to help their town, after all.

With that thought in mind, Winona called out her Skarmory and continued her task of ensuring everyone in Fortree was indoors. Certainly, most of the treetop city wouldn't survive the storm; what was truly important was making sure its people did.

* * *

By the time we reached the highest building in the city, the wind had picked up again, swooping across the crater and throwing us off balance. Steven landed first, recalling Skarmory immediately, and then Metagross lowered itself to the rooftop, landing with surprisingly soft _thud._ Wallace and I disembarked, he immediately moving over to Steven, me, taking a moment to survey the rest of the city.

The building we'd landed on was much bigger up close, stretching out in three different directions and surrounded by gardens and courtyards. The mesa on which it was built was nestled between two huge, sheer cliffs serving as the rim around Sootopolis; looking inward, the grassy ground sloped downwards for a while before leveling out again and sporting more houses.

Even with the beauty of the area, it was obvious some damage had already been done; water running off of the crater's edge flattened the plants and trees and anything else relatively loose within the gardens, and not too far off in the western wing, a mass of rubble that must've broken loose from a thunderbolt had collided with the building, caving in a large section. Surrounding the city's walls was a shimmering haze of heat.

I took in a much-needed breath, only to cough on the arid air. The temperature only seemed to be escalating. Part of me was glad I'd switched into the looser, sleeveless top when I had.

Wallace and Steven, after sharing a few words, shuffled over to the edge of the roof on which I was standing, staring wordlessly out across the city. I did the same, my gaze instinctively drawn to the lake. The terrible forms of Kyogre and Groudon were still distinct from this far away. The water-type had clamped its mouth around Groudon's tail, waving its fins in an attempt to pull the monster into the lake, and though it was struggling Groudon was making a counterattack of its own, digging the spikes that ran along its body into Kyogre's hide. At one point the Ground-type jerked to the side, managing to rake one claw across its adversary's head, bringing forth a screech not unlike the sound of chalk against a chalkboard that echoed through the city.

Glancing away, I wiped the sweat from my forehead. Their battle, unfortunately, didn't stop there, nor with the warring heat and rain in the atmosphere. Kyogre's aforementioned attack was now hurtling towards the shoreline; a gleaming wave of water rushed right over the island on which we were standing moment ago with little resistance, crashed into the Gym and moved further and further up the city on all sides, completely submerging dozens of Sootopolis' tiny houses and streets. I gulped. Kyogre's static effect on the weather was one thing, but what it was capable of with actual attacks was stunning.

Ignoring the discomfort of the sweat that now clung to every inch of my body, I stole a glance at Wallace; he was watching the tidal wave, too, with a sort of grim acceptance on his face, like he expected this, but at the same time couldn't believe it. I couldn't grasp how he must've felt, seeing this, not only as a Sootopolitan but as a Gym Leader – for his city to be destroyed, to be this helpless. And there it was – the lump of grief that rose up in my throat and in the back of my eyes, and the need to apologize. I swallowed it down and turned away from the city, up to the sky – which was now darkening with clouds again at a shocking rate.

"Wallace," I managed, "what happens now? You don't want me to fight, but the Red and Blue Orbs are both gone…" _What is there left to do?_ The words hung in the air.

The Gym Leader turned from the disaster, as did Steven, who was watching Wallace expectantly, almost like he could predict what he might suggest next. I briefly wondered how these two very different men were able to become acquainted.

"This can only mean that I misinterpreted the signs," he began to explain, teal eyes flicking up to the sky for half a second, eyebrows twitching in response – "I assumed Archie was reawakening Kyogre prematurely, and that the Blue Orb would calm it. For both Kyogre and Groudon to be fighting… this is a completely different situation, and calls for completely different measures to stop things." He nodded his head, a ghost of a smirk on his face. "My fault, so sorry, May, dear."

_Different measures…_ I searched my cluttered memories for the textbook on Hoenn mythos again. The Blue Orb and Red Orb both awakened and calmed Kyogre and Groudon; however when the two were fighting… _when the two are fighting…_

"Whether this battle is premature, or whether it's fate, and Archie and Maxie were merely tools, means to an end, doesn't matter," continued the man, his voice carrying more certainty now. "The only way a battle between Groudon and Kyogre can be stopped is with the third of Hoenn's ancient Pokemon, Rayquaza."

"Rayquaza," I repeated, the name sounding foreign on my lips. The book had, in its retelling of the myth, spoken of the third Pokemon, a green serpent that served as the mediator between Groudon and Kyogre. A Pokemon that lived in the stratosphere, was never spotted by anyone, hid from humanity, never left the skies…

"It's said that Rayquaza was able to quell the battle that happened so long ago," Wallace said, and I dare say he even sounded anxious, excited, even. "It appeared only when they were battling. It would only make sense that the Pokemon might reappear now, but it hasn't, and we don't have any more time to waste waiting for something that may or may not appear. The world hangs in the balance. We don't know how much could be destroyed before Rayquaza takes action."

"Wallace…" Steven muttered, pausing as a gale of cool wind swung across the mesa and nearly knocked the three of us over, "Even if Rayquaza was out there, how would you go about finding it? It's said to fly at an altitude no human or Pokemon could possibly reach- it could be on the other side of the world."

The Gym trainer's eyes, narrowed in resolution and confidence, must have answered Steven's question.

"Sky Pillar."

This name, too, rang a bell, and considering how Steven became subdued, he must've recognized it as well – a tower on which Rayquaza went directly after the legendary battle, before taking to the skies. The book had called it inaccessible; shrouded in fog, a faraway island, or having collapsed long, long ago. Its existence itself was questionable; who could have built such a thing, so long ago? Steven opened his mouth to speak but said nothing. I looked Wallace over again; apparently he was privy to much more information on the subject than anyone in Hoenn, being a Sootopolitan.

_And, then again, the book called Southern Island something similar, _I thought to myself, recalling the mysterious landmass. _Yet there it was._

Up above, the low rumbling of thunder came forth once more. Kyogre's storm was winning over the intense sunlight, closing in over Sootopolis.

"May," Wallace's voice jolted me from my thoughts and he placed a firm hand on my shoulder. "Sky Pillar is the place we must go. You, me."

I stared at him, jaw slack, but gave no protest this time. _I can trust Wallace. I _have _to. There's not much else I can do._ Another gale blew past us, tossing my hair up in my face. I nodded my head at the Gym Leader. "Okay."

That was all the assent Wallace needed, and he pulled a Pokeball from the billowing folds of his cloak. "Steven." The man whipped around, practically glowing with confidence. "If you don't mind, I'll be taking Metagross back down to the lake."

_That's right… Wallace doesn't have a flying-type Pokemon, does he? Then, how will we get there?_

Steven appeared to be equally baffled, raising one hand to shield his face from the wind and oncoming rain. "How do you plan on getting there? Metagross can't carry you long distance, Skarmory is worn out – and won't fare well in extreme wind or extreme heat. No one even knows where Sky Pillar is…" His gray eyes moved to the ball in Wallace's hand and he raised an eyebrow. "You don't plan on…"

The teal-haired man dipped his head in a nod, smiling at both Steven and I once again. "With all due respect, sir Champion, I know the location of Sky Pillar very well. I'll be able to manage with my Water-type Pokemon, and take the ocean route there." The words surprised me. _Swim?_ With the currents and waves I'd nearly drowned in? Steven, however, didn't appear phased at all by this; _Wallace must be a more powerful trainer than I even imagined. He is the eighth Gym Leader, after all…_ _But how the heck am _I _gonna get there…? _"May, as for you… Considering your previous experiences, I think you've already got yourself a direct flight from here to Sky Pillar."

I exchanged a bewildered look with Steven. "I… don't understand."

"Come, now! Have we already forgotten your exploits at Southern Island?" The man cooed, raising one brow as he jumped atop Metagross. The Pokemon immediately folded up its legs and hovered off of the ground; the air around it shivered with Psychic energy.

"Southern Island… Oh!"

"That's… right," Steven straightened. "Latias and Latios… They must know the way, then…?"

A crack of thunder, much louder, this time, echoed not far from the rooftop, and in the distance a mass of clouds blew across the sun, casting shadow across Sootopolis' ravaged landscape.

"Yes… Those Pokemon can take you anywhere. Without a doubt, Latias can fly you to Sky Pillar, May." Wallace called, back to his serious self. Metagross began to descend. "Now then, we've got to hurry. Make any preparations you need. I'll meet you there."

"But-" The wind came once more, sweeping my protest away, and then Wallace gone, his figure blending in to the mess of blues and grays that made up Sootopolis City.

I stared after him. _I-I never even caught Latias. I can't just call it out. I can't go back to Southern Island… How am I supposed to…?!_

"May." I snapped back into reality, turning to Steven and desperately searching his face for answers, for any sense of reassurance. Though he'd raised his stoic wall back up, there were visible cracks in it, creases and shapes in his expression that let me off to how stressed he was. "What's wrong?"

For a moment I stared at him, dumbfounded, because it felt like _I _should be the one asking him that question, considering how worn he appeared to be. The words never surfaced, though, and instead I told him what was on my mind, inwardly surprised at my own sudden willingness to let down my guard.

Steven listened to what I had to say, nodded, and reached into his suit pocket. "That's right. There isn't a way to call forth Latias – without this." From the fabric he pulled out a small, fragile-looking object, an instrument. It looked just like-

"…Poke-flute?" I questioned.

There was a pause, filled by a feral roar from the lake that reminded me once again the urgency of the situation. _What's he pulling out a Poke-flute for?!_

"What…? …No, no, not quite," said the trainer, glancing down at the instrument. "This is the Eon Flute – something I picked up a while ago, on my travels. If you play it – no matter where you are – it will summon Latias to you."

I absorbed the words and the weight they carried, holding my hand very hesitantly over the object in his, admiring the wooden build, the paint, the unique, ancient structure of it – it seemed to be an artifact Steven had simply plucked from a history book and brought to me just in the nick of time. _He truly is an amazing person…. Latios, this flute, a Metagross – he's friends with a strong guy like Wallace… Just who is Steven, anyway? Is he really just the heir to Devon Co.?_ Noticing my own distraction, I huffed, cleared my mind, and took the flute from Steven. _There are more important things, right now._

I stepped back, facing away from the wind, and brought the wooden instrument to my lips. It was old, but wasn't drastically different enough in design so that I couldn't figure out how to play it, and I silently thanked my family for buying me a Poke-flute from Kanto when I was a kid because it would've been _terrible _to be in this position and not know how to operate the thing. Steven looked on, unblinking, and I forced myself to gaze straight ahead rather than in his direction, feeling a slight flush on my cheeks despite the disaster unfolding around us.

Then, blocking out as much as the surrounding scene from my senses as I could, I breathed, giving the flute a test. A soft whistle came from the other end, barely audible but distinct enough among the crashing and thrashing of nature that my ears could pick it up. Closing my eyes, I focused even more on the item in my hands, deciding on a short tune to play, getting the correct fingerings, and my thoughts drifted again…

_ "With all due respect, sir Champion, I know the location of Sky Pillar very well."_

_Huh?_ Of all the things to recall about the conversation Wallace had just led, the one mocking Steven came to mind. _What… something about that bothers me… something…_

_ 'Sir Champion', he said… Champion… Champ…?_

It hit me.

The feeling was similar to jumping to your feet after lying down for a few hours, when a wave of fuzziness would fill your head and threaten to knock you out. Memories, of all the times where I'd had questions about Steven's background and identity, that the word _Champion _answered _perfectly. Champion. Pokemon League Champion. _I snapped open my eyes, immediately looking the man in question up and down; he was still standing there blankly, the wind rippling through his black attire.

His eyebrows twitched just the slightest. I still didn't move.

"Steven- you're…" My stomach flipped upside down. "Y-you're… the Hoenn League Champion." I don't know how I managed to get those words out, especially when half of me was still vehemently denying it in my head. The other half was numb from shock, drawing a total blank, unaware of how to react to this realization.

Steven straightened a little – he was probably taken aback at this random statement. I sure was. Seconds melted by as he merely looked me over, and this time I didn't even bother trying to decipher what he might be thinking. Then he just nodded, and rested his hands in his pockets. "I am." Shifting awkwardly in place, he continued: "May, you should probably…"

I caught his glance at the flute and responded. "…Yeah." The word was so light that I doubt he even heard it. Behind us came the familiar pattering and hissing of rain. There really wasn't much time; flying out would be easier in the sun than in the storm. But…

In the haze of total confusion I was in I couldn't tear my gaze from Steven, _Champion_ Steven, so instead I closed my eyes again and quickly played the flute, the notes quivering unsteadily as they escaped into the air. My fingers were shaking again, now, just barely brushing the instrument's holes. As my breath ran out I kept the Eon Flute up for a moment, my muscles feeling like they wouldn't move no matter what I did, and then I relaxed enough to at least bring my arms to my sides.

Thankfully, Steven had turned away, instead directing his gaze at the one last patch of blue sky over Sootopolis. Sunlight was pouring in from this spot, shining onto the lake – onto Groudon, who no sooner released a blinding beam of energy at Kyogre, hurling it back onto the shoreline.

I wanted to follow his gaze, like I usually did, but I couldn't. All I was able to do was stare at this trainer who I had run into so often, shared stories with, related to, _battled_ beside, opened up to, _cried_ in front of, dammit, even lied to, and think about how this was the Pokemon League Champion, the strongest trainer in the Hoenn region, the figure I had in the back of my mind been aspiring to be ever since I got my first badge – before that, possibly. I felt numb and disconnected. I sincerely didn't know how to process this fact. And as the icing on the cake – judging by his reaction – he had assumed I'd already known the whole time.

I didn't have time to mull over it any longer because Latias suddenly appeared in a blur of white, coming to a stop just a few feet past us. The Pokemon was truly a sight for sore eyes. It turned around and, before I could even open my arms, flew into my chest, nearly knocking me off my feet.

"_Tiii~! Lati!"_

I hugged the Pokemon back, feeling like collapsing right then and there. "Latias…! You came!"

"_Lati!"_ The Pokemon didn't wait for a command and instead flew beneath me and lifted me onto its back. I steadied myself – it certainly was smaller than its counterpart. Somehow, though, the Pokemon was just the right size. I bent my legs, hooking them around its wings, and steadied the rest of my weight by holding onto the Pokemon's neck. Its feathers, sleek and hardly even noticeable from afar, were soft and cool on my skin.

"Good luck, May," Steven spoke up, and Latias reacted, turning and nuzzling him as well. He scoffed; "Latias is different from Latios, if you remember. In its personality and the way it flies." Despite the tone of his comment, the trainer was smiling at Latias.

I had to shake my head to rid my mind of the memories of the last time I'd ridden atop one of the Eon Pokemon. It was too confusing, all of it. Yet it just _made sense_, that the Champion would have an artifact like the Eon Flute, that the Champion would know of a Pokemon like Latios…

Suddenly, the rain started in again, sharp, cool droplets that pricked and jabbed at the skin like darts, and Latias whined in protest, lifting itself further into the air. The gap in the clouds was closing, fast, and despite its status as a Legendary Pokemon I didn't trust Latias to protect me from a bolt of Kyogre's lightning.

"_Tiiiiiii!" _It chirped again, scarlet wings shifting to catch the wind.

Steven nodded up at me, curtly, grim determination in his eyes, and yet he seemed so alone on that rooftop now. "I don't know where Sky Pillar is, truthfully, and I'm shocked Wallace knows. However, I trust Latias will get you there, wherever it is…" He gestured to the lake below, and the raging battle that was slowly chipping away at Sootopolis' walls. "I'm going to watch things down there, make sure nothing gets out of hand…"

"…Stay safe," I couldn't help but call out, internally slapping myself because _he's the Champion, he's the League Champion, what are you saying-_… I hoped my words hadn't reached him, whisked away by the wind again but it had died down just enough for those hopes to be crushed. Steven blinked; there was the faint trace of a smile on his face.

Then Latias shot off into the sky and I had to duck, wrapping my hands around its neck, as the wind swirled every which way around us. It didn't appear to affect the Pokemon at all; if anything Latias was harnessing the gusts to speed us up. We flew higher and higher, and I watched the rooftop shrink into a blotch of white and green. Steven had called out all five of his Pokemon and was heading back towards the shoreline.

Between squeezing my eyes shut to avoid the sharp pellets of water and ice, I was able to glimpse beyond Sootopolis' walls into the ocean. I tensed immediately. The water around Sootopolis, as wide and huge as the city was, was stirring around and around, crashing unnervingly close to the top of the white rock cliffs, choppy and uneven, yet churning in the same circular motion as though someone had reached into the sea with a spoon. It was much worse than what Metagross had convened to them earlier. _By the look of it, Sootopolis could be completely submerged within the hour…!_

Within seconds we'd hit the cloud cover and Latias hummed, changing directions. I had to duck even further as flashes of lightning danced around us, as rain assaulted us from all directions. Where was the front of the storm now? Had it reached west Hoenn? Littleroot? What about the heat waves? I tightened my arms and legs around Latias' sleek form even further, grinding my teeth together. _Rayquaza… Sky Pillar… I'll do whatever it takes to stop this…_

A minute more, and Latias had zoomed right through the clouds. The wind came to an abrupt halt, replaced immediately with dry heat, and overbearing sunlight that, reflecting off of the puffy clouds, was almost blinding. Far off to the right was a blurry blotch of darkness on the otherwise sapphire sea that was undoubtedly the Hoenn mainland; the storm clouds stretched as far as I could see, past the coast, indicating that Lilycove at least was already under assault. But there was no telling how much distance it had made now. Certain patches of the clouds were bare, an odd sight at least but considering the presence of Groudon, it only made sense. The weather was literally at war with itself, and for a region as diverse and fragile as Hoenn…

"Latias… you know where to go, right?"

The Pokemon hummed softly, dipping down to brush the tops of the clouds. The movement sent us hurtling forwards even faster.

"Good. We should hurry."

* * *

**A/N: **on a side note… I have been thinking a ton about the sort-of sequel to this and I'm planning on getting at least the first chapter up before I finish this story. So I'll have more details on that next time. I don't think posting it before this fic ends will be that big a deal, since it's not like I'm spoiling anything :B


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